The Circle of Time (Races Toward the Finish Line)
by letterbomb98
Summary: "The girl will go forwards then backwards. Much like that muggle toy- what was it? Oh, a yoyo. It will happen instantaneously for us, but she will have lived a life up to her twenty-fifth year." Hermione finished her war with Voldemort at Harry's side. She's started forging a new wizarding world from the ashes. Then. she got pulled back to win a war she's only read about.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Sooo.. I did a thing. I got hit with a lot of inspiration and started a new fic._

_And I shouldn't have because I need to finish my other fic._

_But I really wanted Hermione/Newt_

_So here we go._

* * *

**(December 1926)**

Harrison Scott was at his wits end.

His auror partner called in sick and left him will all the paperwork from their last case. His wife's latest potions experiment ruined the walls when it exploded. They'd had a bit of a row and she wasn't speaking to him. His children woke him up that morning screaming about a broken toy. The accidental magic that followed was hell to clean up. He hadn't had his cup of coffee yet because his son spilled it, and he didn't have time to make another cup. And on top of that his boss wanted to meet him that morning to discuss something.

With how his day was going so far, it would be his luck that he'd get fired.

He sat back in his chair with a heavy sigh and rubbed his hand across his tired face. One look at his watch showed that not enough time had passed since he came in to work. He rolled his head back and stretched the muscles in his neck from his previous bent posture over his desk.

He looked at the photo on his desk. He smiled thinking back to that day with his family at the beach. His wife's parents owned a house in Brighton and let them use it for a weekend holiday. His wife's smile was as radiant as it was when he asked her to Hogsmeade that first time. His daughter was beautiful in her day dress and tiny bows in her hair. His son was so young, barely over two years old and his hair was flying in different directions.

He couldn't think of a reason he'd ever give any of them up. No matter how difficult his morning had been.

He stood from his chair stretching out his back. It was time to go see what his boss wanted. He adjusted the suspenders on his shoulder and put on his waistcoat. He desperately hoped he wasn't about to be fired. His wife's potions haven't been selling too good lately and with two growing children.. He knew his wife would sooner duel a dragon than ask her parents for financial help. He felt much the same.

He walked down the corridors smiling at his coworkers and trading pleasantries. He could tell the other aurors were bored and restless. It had been too quiet lately. They all felt it. Something was going to happen. Soon.

Walking into his boss's office he had to stop and do a double take. He had never seen the man more harried than in this moment. And that was including when his prodigy took off to fight the muggle war against the law and became a war hero. Harrison resented Theseus Scamander a bit for that.

No, whatever had this man in such a state was big. He wondered if it had anything to do with that upstart dark wizard parading around Europe.

And if so, why was he here?

"Scott, good to see you. How's the wife?" Head Auror Shafiq said as he stacked papers that were already neatly aligned.

"She's quite well. Nearly blew up the house this morning." He said with an exasperated grin.

"Potion not agree with her I take it? How's the kids?"

"I look forward to the day I see a Hogwarts letter on the horizon." He said in jest.

His boss chuckled. "Don't wish it away, son, they'll be out of your hair before you know it."

He had calmed some since his arrival. Now the man had a fond smile on his face, most likely reminiscing about his own children who are now grown.

Harrison had relaxed as well. It didn't seem like he would be fired after all.

"What did you need to see me for, sir?" He asked.

The door handle turned and the man lost that calm that had settled over him. He was once again harried his a nervous look in his eye. Like a spooked horse. The Minister of Magic walked in with two figures in unspeakable robes and a young couple holding a baby.

The two unspeakables got to work. They waved their wands placing privacy and protective wards around the small office. One began pulling various potions out of their robes. They placed a strange double hourglass contraption on the desk. Harrison was paying more attention to the couple.

They were young. Couldn't have been older than their mid-twenties. The man was tall and thin with intelligent brown eyes and the woman had a mass of dark curls about her head. They looked unhappy but resigned.

The baby in their arms had a light pink blanket wrapped around her small form. A smattering of dark brown peaked out from the safety of the blanket. She couldn't have been more than a few weeks old.

The mother was clutching her to her chest, fingers bone white as they curled around the baby.

What was going on? Why was he there?

His boss and Minister Fawley were having a whispered discussion off to the side. His boss didn't look happy and neither did Fawley. Whatever the Minister said must have convinced him, because a second later they were walking over to the couple.

"What you are doing is very brave. A sacrifice for the good of our people. We will not forget this." The Minister spoke, eyes downcast avoiding eye contact.

His boss had no such qualms. He made a point to look them in the eye.

"We will begin by administering the potions." One of the unspeakable said as they approached the baby.

For a short moment, the mother's grip tightened around the little girl. Then, reluctantly, her arms relaxed and she uncovered the little one's sleeping face.

They poured a potion into her mouth and Harrison looked to his boss who was watching with distaste.

"What is happening?" He whispered, horrified and curious.

"Grindelwald's becoming a bigger threat than we originally realized. They are sending the child to gather information on how to apprehend him and put a stop to it before it gets out of hand." He said in a low voice, almost a growl.

"How can a child gather information? And are we sure Grindelwald is this big of a threat? Why send a child?"

"You saw the reports. Just last night he killed five aurors in a single blast. No one has managed to bring him in. He's a threat."

"That doesn't justify sending a baby." Harrison frowned.

"I know." He sounded sad then.

"Where are they going to send her?"

"To the future." The unspeakable not administering potions said startling Harrison.

At his confused expression, they continued. "The girl will be sent forward to a time where she can gather knowledge about the coming events. Then, we will bring her back here where she will be instrumental in aiding us."

Harrison looked even more horrified.

"What of Eloise Mintumble? She died when she came back. Aged hundreds of years in a moment and ruined the timeline."

"What you don't realize is that Mintumble went backwards in time then forwards. In this case, the girl will go forwards then backwards. Much like that muggle toy- what was it? Oh, a yoyo." The unspeakable gave a little sound that resembled a chuckle. "It will happen instantaneously for us, but she will have lived a life up to her twenty-fifth year."

"And what if she grows younger when she comes back? What will be the consequences then?" Harrison's boss asked.

"Then she will cease to exist and the timeline will not change." The unspeakable said simply.

The mother gave a small noise in the back of her throat, but when Harrison looked over, her face was blank. She did hold on to the infant tighter.

Harrison was angry. How could a parent do this? "You're alright with this?" He asked them.

They looked at him with sad frowns and resigned features.

"It's for the good of the public. If we can stop the wizard before a war starts-"

"War? What war?" Harrison cut the Minister off.

"Don't be daft, Scott." His boss grunted. "Grindelwald is riling up anti-muggle sympathizers. If he gets enough of a following, we'll be at war with the muggles. And you remember their Great War, the technologies they have. It would be the downfall of the wizarding world."

Harrison remained silent. Even at the threat of war, sending a child to do their work is inconceivable.

"Why a child? Why not send an auror or an unspeakable?"

"They would not have the capacity to retain much information and would stand out. A child can assimilate and grow in the new world. With the potions we gave her, she will have above average intelligence and an extensive mental capacity." The unspeakable explained as they picked up the device.

"And why am I here?" Harrison asked.

"We needed an unbiased, neutral witness." Minister Fawley stated. "Legalities, you understand."

And Harrison was actually beginning to understand. And it made him sick. He shared a look with his boss. Each thinking about their own kids.

The two unspeakables got to work on the device. Whirring and clicking filled the air. One hourglass began to spin while the other was placed on the floor unmoving. A chain connected the two, and sand was rushing to one side. The unspeakable moved to place the chain around the infant when the mother stepped back.

"Wait." She looked to her husband and when he nodded, they looked to their baby. "We wanted to give her something." She pulled out a necklace with a word on it. "A name. Hermione. After the messenger, Hermes." She placed it around the infant just as she was waking up.

A tear fell down the mother's cheek as she caressed her daughter's face. The father smoothed back the little girl's hair.

The unspeakable wrapped the chain around the bundle. The hourglass spun faster. The unspeakable stepped back. In a flash of white light the mother's arms were empty and something heavy landed on the floor.

* * *

**(September 2004)**

Hermione Granger was content with her life.

Even if her friends didn't agree with her.

"Ginny, I appreciate the offer, but I am simply too-"

"Busy. Yes, yes. I get it." The redheaded woman looked at her friend a moment. "You know we were happy for you when you got the promotion. Even mum, which was a shocker to be honest." Ginny rolled her eyes. "But that was almost a year ago now. Don't you think you can slow down? A little?"

Hermione sighed and used her napkin to wipe her mouth. The little muggle café they were at was one of their favorites. It was where they met every time they went for lunch. Which wasn't as often as they would like considering Ginny's quidditch schedule and Hermione's dedication to her work.

"My work is never done. Even if I pass every law I can, there will still be some poor creature out there being mistreated or misrepresented or any number of horrible things." Hermione said as she blew on her spoon, cooling the soup she was enjoying.

Ginny took another bite of her salad. "I know. And it's amazing. The amount of change the department has had since you became Head," She paused. "But you realize that you can still help others but also take time for yourself right? You haven't really stopped to breathe since the war ended." She said gently.

Hermione sat back for a minute and thought. Perhaps her friend was right. When the war ended, she threw herself into her studies trying to get the highest marks she could. Then, Kingsley asked her to help root through legislation and the deep roots of corruption and prejudice within the ministry. Which eventually led her to the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures where she spent time battling the Wizengamot on laws and restrictions. Her favorite parts of her job were when she was able to work out in the field helping creatures. She was able to work her way to being the youngest head of the department in only a few short years.

She really hadn't taken any time to breathe.

She had a relationship with Ron that ended a few years ago because of her workaholic tendencies and insensitivity to her work. Molly still held a grudge, but luckily the other Weasleys understood. She and Ron were tentative friends again. Either way, a few dates here and there didn't really give her a true break.

Harry and Ginny's wedding was a wonderful night she enjoyed immensely a few months back. But moments like that are few and far between.

"Alright, you win. You can throw me a birthday party." Hermione said.

She ignored Ginny's delighted squeal as she brought her trash to the bin.

Looking back on her life had her wondering where all the time went. One minute, they were broken and exhausted with a broken castle around them. But now, Harry and Ginny are thinking of trying for children, she's head of a department and Ron is a co-owner of his brother's store.

The scar on her forearm itched and she turned sharply heading back to their table.

She looked at her watch and sighed. "I have to get back to the office, Gin."

"Alright, as always, it was wonderful having lunch with you." Ginny said as she got up. "I'll see you this weekend. Wear that blue dress, you know the one." Hermione nodded as they hugged. "And happy early birthday, 'Mione."

Hermione walked through the atrium of the ministry, her low heels clicking on the hard floor. Still caught up in the past, she marveled at the changes. No longer did the statue support muggle oppression, but instead depicted an abstract sculpture of a spell. Hermione didn't really understand art, but at least it was all inclusive.

The ministry was a much happier place, people smiled and talked to each other. People wore more colorful clothing styles- some muggle even. The atrium was hardly ever empty.

She walked into the elevator and waited for her floor. As she avoided paper airplane missives, she thought of how many times she'd been in that very elevator since she was polyjuiced next to Umbridge. She reached up and tried to free a missive that had gotten stuck in her hair.

"Again, Granger?" A voice laughed. "It's like your hair has it's own gravitational force. Hopeless."

Two pale hands reached over to help get the poor paper airplane out of her curls.

"At least I have hair, Malfoy."

That was another thing that had changed. For the better, of course.

He gave her a mock wounded look. "Ouch. Really, that hurts. Brutal, truly."

She laughed and smacked his arms away. The airplane was free by now, darting out of the elevator and toward it's recipient.

"Did you get the revisions I sent you about the new Goblin Liaison regulations?"

"Found them on my desk this morning. I'll make a trip to Gingotts later today and confirm, but as long as the Wizengamot is on board, it should pass." He gave a smug grin. "You do have all the Malfoy seats behind you, so I see no reason why it shouldn't."

She gave him a mock glare and was about to retort when the lift opened on her floor. The emergency lights were blinking red, and people were running to and fro. She put her palm to her face.

"Looks like you've got your work cut out for you." He commented lightly.

She sighed. "Give Astoria my best. I'll see you both Saturday, correct?"

"Weaslette finally convinced you then? Yeah, we'll be there."

"Brilliant, see you then." She said as she stepped out of the elevator and gave him a halfhearted wave over her shoulder.

She looked over the chaos before her and took a moment to take a deep breath. She quickly walked over the front desk and asked the first person she saw what the emergency was.

"There's a chimera loose near muggle Cardiff. We suspect a trade deal got out of hand."

"Well that's certainly no reason to panic." She said as she turned around and walked to the middle of the floor.

She cast a sonorous. "Stop what you're doing right now. Nobody moves, listen to my instructions."

She waited until she had everyone's attention. People paused mid-step and turned to look. The only sound came from the emergency alarms.

"You there," She pointed to a short thin man. "Get me a brief on the situation immediately." He ran off to do just that.

"I want a team of fifteen ready to head out in ten minutes. Wayland, get me your best." She said to the head of the Beast Division. He nodded and began gathering people.

She turned around and looked at the secretary she just spoke to. "Get me a team of aurors waiting to take care of possible smuggling and illegal trade."

She turned back to her floor. "Every one of you know what to do when there is an emergency. This display is not it. I don't care how dire the situation is. I expected better of you. So do better." She said icily.

She cut the sonorous charm and cut through the crowds and down the halls toward her office. A silent wave of her wand cut off the alarm system, her heels sounding through the room in her wake. She has spent years battling older men from the Wizengamot and winning. She knows how to demand respect and get things done. She made it to her office, closed the door, and let out a small giggle. It never gets old, she loves her job.

She walked over to her desk and pulled out a change of clothes. She learned the hard way that you can't do field work in a pencil skirt and sensible heels. She pulled on trainers and her jacket with faux dragon hide armour built in.

She looped her leather purse over one shoulder and stuffed her old beaded bag inside. That same beaded bag that helped them through so much that year on the run now holds much of the same things. Potions, books, tent, clothes, etc., etc. The only difference is that it's geared more toward creatures than basic survival. Potions for healing, nutrients, and other things that help beasts. Books on creatures that she'd never go in the field without. A tent and clothes and other items for her as well. Just in case.

She made sure her wand was secured to her arm holster and walked back out of her office. She met up with her team of fifteen and gave them the basic instructions on how they were going to approach the situation and how not to screw this up.

She took a deep breath and quelled her excitement. She loved field work. They turned on the spot and disapperated.

* * *

A few days later, she was pulling on the blue dress Ginny picked out for her. It truly was stunning. She gasped when the strap pulled on her bandage. She was trying to reach behind her to zip the dress up, but the movement of her arm was causing the wound on her shoulder to burn.

Thankfully, Ginny walked in and, seeing her struggle, helped her out. Hermione sighed a breath of relief and smoothed the edges of the bandage.

"I would say I don't know how you can put up with such a risky job, but that would be hypocritical considering a bludger broke my arm last season." Ginny laughed.

"Then you understand that I don't mind the pain or the scars or the definite possibility that it will happen again." Hermione said with a grin. She reached up to smooth her hair and winced. "Okay, maybe I mind the pain a little bit."

Ginny laughed. "Come on. Let's get going. The boys are probably going mental by now and your cake won't eat itself." She paused. "Well if we let George near it, it might."

Hermione chuckled and pulled on a white cardigan. She looped her leather bag over her shoulder, carefully avoiding her wound. They made their way through the flat to the floo.

Dust in their face and green flash had them stepping out into a crowded living room. The noise got louder as people turned to see Hermione and cheered raising their glasses. She was immediately pulled into a hug by Harry and Ron then passed around to receive hugs from the rest of their friends.

Sometime later, after they'd cut the cake and opened presents and everyone had had their fill of firewhiskey, guests were leaving giving Hermione parting hugs and congratulations. She'd just said goodbye to the Malfoys with a promise to Astoria for tea the following week when Harry came up next to her.

Hermione sighed, content. "This was lovely. Thank you for offering up Grimauld. It brought back memories."

"Only good ones I hope." Harry laughed.

"Oh, of course." Hermione chuckled, reminiscing about time spent as a teenager in that old house.

Harry had renovated since then, and while it still kept its charm, it looked completely different. Happier. Though Hermione knew, without ever officially asking or exploring, that Sirius's room was left untouched.

"So how does it feel to be twenty-five?" He asked her.

Hermione yawned. It was close to midnight, she'll probably leave soon. "No different than twenty-four." She smiled. "Although, I am a little closer to twenty-six with all the time-turner business. But of course this timeline moves in a straight line, if you ignore the multiverse theory, so while my physical body is older, officially I am twenty-"

"'Mione, how on earth do you know so much?" Ron interrupted. "It's like your brain has an infinite expansion charm on it. It's mental."

Hermione decided that Ron was a little intoxicated at the moment so she would take this as a compliment. Harry shot her an apologetic look.

She said nothing and she and Harry watched as Ron ambled back over to where Ginny was cleaning up. Ron knocked over a cup of firewhiskey and Ginny sent a stinging hex his way. He yelped and Hermione and Harry laughed.

Hermione threw her bag over her shoulder, stretched and yawned. "I think I'm going to head home, Har-" She stopped, eyes going wide.

"Harry." She turned and Harry sensed something was wrong.

She held her fluttering stomach. Something was pulling. Her skin didn't quite feel right.

"Harry, I don't- What's-"

Harry grasped her forearms trying to stabilize her. By now, Ron and Ginny were looking over realizing something was wrong.

"Harry I-"

A flash of white and Harry's arms were empty.

There was a knock at the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Her eyes blinked open and she immediately closed them. The light was too bright. It was like her senses were on overdrive. The silence buzzed. Too many scents attacked her nose. Her skin felt raw and agitated.

Her stomach rolled and she took deep breaths through her mouth. She flexed her fingers. She could feel the ground beneath her, cold and hard pressing into her back.

Her head felt like it got hit with a bludger. Her magic was one step away from causing an accident. She reeled it in and opened her eyes once more.

She was met with seven figures looming over her prone form.

Panicking, she scrambled to her feet, pulled out her wand and backed away from the group of people. Her head protested this movement and her nausea returned full force. She ignored this as she sought out possible exits and assessed her opponents. Silently, she cast a protego around her.

A pompous man with a familiar face, two men with builds of seasoned aurors, two figures in unspeakable robes, and a startled couple.

She trained her wand between the aurors and unspeakables while she pondered over the familiarity of the pompous man.

"Who are you and why did you bring me here?" Her voice was hard. The tiredness she felt at Harry's place moments ago was gone and in its place was battle-ready adrenaline.

"This is Head Auror Shafiq and his trusted Auror Scott." The pompous man spoke, gesturing to each man who gave nods in her direction. Friendly. "Unspeakables from the Department of Mysteries." They held up robed arms in an imitation of a wave. Not offensive. "And this lovely couple is Edwin and Margaret Lawson." They still seemed stunned, in shock. Non-combatants.

Hermione lowered her wand a fraction of an inch. She looked toward the man speaking to her, studying him.

"And I am the Minister of Magic, Hec-"

"Hector Fawley." Hermione said, eyes going wide as she recognized the man. She'd seen his portrait many times from her visits to Kingsley's office. "Elected in 1925 and was said to be a stark contrast from his predecessor. While he was more reserved and taciturn, Fawley was exuberant and flamboyant. As such, he was given the name Flamboyant Fawley in 1926 by the Daily Prophet when asked whether he was doing enough." She rambled off in her panic not noticing the smug look crossing the man's face as he shared a triumphant look with the disgusted Head Auror.

"Yes, well, we'll see if they think I'm doing enough now." He mumbled. Hermione didn't hear, she was breathing heavily, thinking over the implications of what all this means.

"How am I here? To- to go _back_ in time?" She asked weakly. "What year is it?"

She looked around the room. The Lawsons looked heartbroken and she noticed tears running down the young woman's face. They couldn't be any older than she was. The aurors looked at her with pity and sympathy. She didn't understand.

One of the unspeakables stepped forward. Hermione stepped back. "It is December 5, 1926. We used a device to send you to the future and spelled it where you would return to us on your twenty-fifth year. For us, mere minutes ago, you were a baby in your mother's arms. But now, you are a grown woman who can help us with the coming conflict. Congratulations, you are the first successful time traveler."

Hermione kept backing up until her back hit the wall. Every sentence they just said hit her like a brick. She didn't know what to do. She heard pride in the unspeakable's voice. She was an expiriement. She looked to the Minister. She was a political tool. She looked to the aurors. She was a savior. She looked to the couple that she'd put together as her birth parents. She was _nothing_.

They were explaining about how they had paperwork there for her. Identification, wand permits, OWL and NEWT scores to fill in, Gringotts account information. She wasn't paying any attention.

She ran.

She threw open the door, breaking through the charms around the room was child's play. She ran through the corridors, blowing past people causing papers to fly and shocked exclamations to sound. She ignored the fashion of the people she passed. She heard people following her. She ran faster. Somehow she made it to the atrium and she nearly tripped when she saw the atrium and the old statue that stood there. She ran to the doors that would lead to out to London and threw them open.

She ran into the street and stopped looking all around her. Everything was different. Everything was _wrong_. She shivered. Her blue dress and light cardigan was no match for London in winter. The cars were _old_. She could see her breath. The buildings were _ancient _but they looked _new_. She only registered the tears on her face when they turned cold.

* * *

Eventually, they found her.

They placed a blanket around her shoulders and she clutched it like a lifeline. They led her back inside to the same office and sat her down in a hard chair. The unspeakables cast diagnostic charms and checked her over for any side effects or health concerns. They asked about the bandage on her shoulder and they all stared at the scar on her forearm. She didn't offer an explanation.

The aurors took care of the paperwork. This was the only time she spoke. She told them her name and birthday, blood status and Gringots information, occupation and test scores.

It didn't seem to matter. She was now Hermione Lawson. Pureblood. Born September 19, 1901. Highest test scores since Dumbledore. A respected investigative auror with international jurisdiction.

Her "parents" seemed heartbroken and her "mother" wouldn't stop crying. Hermione would be living with them and sharing their bank account.

She couldn't look at them.

She thought of her own parents. Her muggle dentist parents. She still had aurors out trying to find them in Australia. She didn't know if they ever would. Now she never will.

They never outright told her she was adopted. She sort of put it together on her own once she learned and read many books about genetics. It never seemed to matter. She loved her parents and they loved her.

They chose her. They didn't _give her up_.

She remembered asking them once about why she was named Hermione. They said they chose Hermione because they loved Shakespeare and Greek mythology. She supposes they actually did choose her, not necessarily her name.

Edwin and Margaret took her shopping. She doesn't remember leaving the office or the farewells from the others. She curled her hand around the doorknob of the store and pulled. Diagon Alley was as lively as ever and Hermione wanted out of the cold.

Edwin stayed off to the side. He chatted with the seamstress like old friends. Margaret hovered next to her pointing out latest styles and trends. Hermione ignored her and stuck to what she knew. What was familiar. Blouses and pants. Even if the slacks were higher wasted than what she normally wore. Margaret tried to point out dresses and hats and scarves, but Hermione wasn't interested. Margaret got them anyway attempting to smile. At least she wasn't crying anymore.

Hermione was about to leave the store and the tedious company when her eyes landed on a coat. It was long and the fabric was thick. It was heavy and had deep pockets. It was a deep maroon color with gold buttons. It was familiar. It was perfect.

At the counter Hermione had a small smile on her face.

"I told you she would be a Gryffindor." Edwin whispered to Margaret.

Hermione heard them, but she actually didn't mind.

* * *

Her room at their rather large cottage was alarmingly neutral. Edwin explained to her that they didn't want to assume anything about her preferences. He mentioned that they had a thought to let her choose what she wants and they would help her design it. He sounded hopeful.

Hermione knew they were trying, but it was too much too soon. She had only been in 1926 a handful of hours.

She told them she was tired and wanted to sleep.

They let her have her space.

Truthfully, she was tired, but she couldn't sleep.

The Lawson Cottage was lovely. Hermione resented that it was everything she thought she wanted in a house. She loved her flat, but whenever she decided to move into a house, she would have wanted this. A small kitchen, a library with a window nook, an office downstairs, bedrooms upstairs. A nursery.

Her room was clinical and cold. Dark woods contrasted with stark white. Her flat was lively with warm browns and creams. Books lying everywhere, finished tea cups littered every surface.

Out of everything it seemed a silly thing to cry over, but Hermione felt salty tears run down her cheeks.

She pressed her face harder into the white pillow and sobbed.

The Minister explained that their plan was for her to have gathered information about Grindelwald's campaign. They gave her enhancement potions. She was supposed to help them end the threat before it began.

They placed the weight of a war on her shoulders and expected her to help them.

This isn't her war. She already went through hers. She survived Voldemort. This isn't her fight. Things were getting better. She was doing _good_.

Eventually, she cried herself into an exhausted sleep. When she woke, the morning sun was shining through the white curtains and the smell of breakfast permeated the house. She got up and dressed for the day.

She made her way down the stairs and looked at the wedding photos that lined the wall. Margaret was beautiful and Edwin looked utterly besotted. Tentatively, she stepped into the dining room. Edwin and Margaret looked up as she entered. Edwin gestured to the plates of food on the table and Hermione gave him a quick smile of thanks. She filled her plate and the three ate in tense silence.

Hermione reached for her glass of water and Margaret gasped. Hermione paused and traced her eye line to the gold bracelet on her wrist. Hermione frowned at the reaction. She'd had it as long as she could remember. The gold plate had her first name on it in beautiful script.

"I gave that to you." Margaret breathed. "Before you left."

Hermione was stunned. She drank her water not knowing what to say. She placed her glass back on the table and met Margaret and Edwin's eyes.

"I don't know what you expect from me. Besides stopping Grindel-"

"No, we don't expect anything from you. Grindelwald is the Ministry's problem." Edwin spoke spearing a sausage.

"But it's yours too or you wouldn't have sent me away." Hermione said cooly, cocking her head to the side.

Margaret and Edwin looked down but didn't deny her. Hermione didn't know why she felt disappointed. She didn't know them. She took another bite of her eggs.

"We just want to get to know you." Margaret said eventually brushing her short curly hair behind her ear.

Hermione didn't say anything after that. They finished their breakfast.

It was only when they were standing up to clean that Hermione spoke again. "I'm going to visit Hogwarts today."

Edwin and Margaret shared a look before turning to her. For some reason that infuriated Hermione.

"I need something familiar. My entire life has been uprooted with no chance of getting it back." They both looked away. Hermione didn't care. "You ripped me away from my family, my friends, my _life_. I'm going to Hogwarts."

Hermione turned on her heel and went back to her room. She threw on her red coat and put her leather bag over her shoulder. She pulled out her wand and turned on the spot.

* * *

She didn't know what she'd thought she'd find. She walked the grounds. The whomping willow was not there. The Shrieking Shack hadn't been built yet. Hagrid's hut was gone.

She didn't dare venture into the castle and see different professors teaching in place of the ones she knew.

She sat down by a tree near the edge of the lake. She couldn't tell if the squid was there or not. It was snowing and the lake was frozen. Her cheeks her red and she was shivering. She wrapped her coat tighter around her.

She thought of everything in her life. Every person in her life. They were _gone_. Not permanently, it will all still happen. And isn't that the biggest joke?

When she was in her third year using the time turner, she researched time travel like mad. She soaked up everything she could. And most of that research came from _after_ the 1920s. So there's no way the unspeakables could have possibly known that anything they do with a time turner, no matter what contraption they build with time turners, will be a loop. Nothing will change. History as Hermione knows it will go on _as she knows it_.

So she can't stop Grindelwald before Dumbledore confronts him in 1945. She can't go adopt little baby Tom Riddle next month and keep him from becoming Voldemort. She can't change that because what she does in that time will have already happened. No matter what she does now, it will become the past she learned about.

And she doesn't remember seeing Hermione _Lawson_ in any of her history books.

"I do appreciate a view."

Hermione turned sharply seeing a tall wizard in a grey suit next to her looking out over the landscape. She quickly stood up.

"I've noticed you walking around the grounds and grew curious." The man said.

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Albus Dumbledore. Defense Against the Dark Arts professor here at Hogwarts."

Hermione was stunned. She hardly recognized the man she knew from her time at school. Harry's mentor. She attended his funeral. And here he is. Young, short beard, and in a suit rather than the robes he wore when she was a student.

"I do think it's customary that one would respond with their name in return." He teased lightly.

"Hermione Gr-Lawson." She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Well, Miss Lawson, perhaps you'd like to get out of the cold and have a cup of tea in my office."

She nodded, numbly.

As they walked, she kept sneaking glances over at the man trying to find evidence that connects him the man she knew. His eyes still held that same twinkle, but there's a heaviness to his shoulders that all too familiar and at the same time very different.

He pushed open the door of the classroom and led her up the stairs at the back. His office was quintessentially Dumbledore. It reminded her of his headmaster's office with all the contraptions and devices whirring and clicking. He poured them some tea and they sat back in their chairs. It warmed her better than any charm.

"I am acquainted with the Lawson family. Wonderful people, Edwin and Margaret, their parents too. Old family friends, you see. I taught them, Edwin was great at Defense and Margaret was better with Charms and Transfiguration." Hermione's smile grew brittle. "I'd think I would have remembered another Lawson that was about their age."

She stilled. Panic filled her.

"Margaret mentioned when we last spoke that she was expecting. A girl." Dumbledore smiled. "She was overjoyed and wanted to know what I thought of the name 'Hermione'."

Hermione placed her teacup back in the saucer and tried to ignore the way it shook.

"Don't look so frightened. She told me the plan, she told me why."

Hermione let out a breath of relief. Her shoulders relaxed.

"I hadn't spoke to her since because I didn't agree with her, what they planned to do. The Ministry wouldn't have let me know anyway."

Dumbledore smiled and to Hermione, even though he's so much younger and so different from what she knew, if felt like something from home.

"You've done well." He said. "Your life seems to have agreed with you."

She felt a few tears slip down her face. She hardly knew this man, but she trusted him. She told him everything. Everything she could at least. She didn't mention the war or the Hallows. Somehow he knew something had happened. She told him about her friends and family. All the headway she'd made in the ministry. Everything she'd done for her department. She told him about all the creatures she's helped and how much she _enjoyed_ it. How she loved field work more than going up against the Wizengamot every other week.

She told him how betrayed and worthless and used she felt being there in 1926. How pointless it seemed. She told him about how out of control she felt.

And he listened and comforted. He told her that everything she'd been working toward when she left will still be there when she catches up. He told her that Edwin and Margaret weren't bad people for doing this and that the Ministry was desperate. He told her why they needed her. He told her that Grindelwald had made another move two nights ago.

"But why me?" She asked. Her tears dried long ago, the tea was cold.

"Because I can't." He said simply.

And Hermione remembered. She understood. They were close, Dumbledore and Grindelwald, maybe more than that. And she can feel that weight on his shoulders and she knows why it's different than it was in her time. They were silent for a long time.

"You mentioned your love of working with beasts. You remind me of someone." Before she could ask who, he continued. "I receive wizarding newspapers from all over the world. I have reason to believe that there is an obscurial in New York."

Hermione gasped. When she was first hired in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, she was put on a field team to handle an obscurus. That one mission alone led to many different regulations on how an obscurus is dealt with and how magical children are protected. She cried for weeks afterward.

"I know in this time, you aren't part of that department anymore, but you do have international jurisdiction as an auror. I have no doubt you could be in New York by the end of the day."

"What are you playing at?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe you need something familiar. To help someone in need. An obscurus grows in the absence of love, as I'm sure you're aware. Love is the most powerful magic we know."

* * *

Gaining permission from the Ministry to take a portkey to New York was easy. Telling Margaret and Edwin was harder. In the end, they let her go. It wasn't like they had any sway over her decisions.

She thanked her past self for leaving her beaded bag in her leather one. She checked to make sure it was fully stocked. After this, she'll have to see about restocking some things. If she can even get some of it in this time period. She sighed and pulled a few outfits out carefully storing them in her leather bag.

She looked into the mirror above her vanity and checked her wound. It seemed to be healing well enough. It would definitely leave a scar. She doesn't mind the scars she gets doing her work, but this new mark is rather large and would gather a lot of attention. A chimera bite cauterized as it tears the flesh. The healing tissue is puffy and pink with black lines running through it. She put more murtlap essence on it and pulled her black blouse closed.

She smoothed her hands down her grey high wasted slacks, pulled on her red coat and threw her bag over her shoulder. She crept down the stairs and spotted Edwin and Margaret sitting on the sofa. Margaret was crying into Edwin's shoulder and he was whispering soothing words in her ear smoothing back her hair.

Hermione tried not to feel guilty. She didn't owe them anything.

She turned on the spot and landed in the ministry. She made her way to the portkey office and felt her usual excitement rise up. Officially, she was an envoy for the British investigation team. Madame Picquery wasn't happy the British were getting involved, but compromised with only sending in one operative.

Hermione smiled. Field work was familiar. She grabbed the old hat in front of her and spun away.


	3. Chapter 3

Upon her arrival, Madame President immediately brought her to the investigative team working on the case.

It was tedious to say the least.

They were a handful of American witches and wizards who made it obvious the foreigner was not welcome. Her theories and plans were shot down as soon as she opened her mouth. Paperwork was tilted subtly in such a way that she couldn't see it. She had to heave a sigh at the pettiness of it all.

She had long since discarded her coat and bag to a chair in the corner, her wand was twisted up in her hair to keep it out of the way. She was bent at the waist over what small amount of information she was able to wrangle. Her ink stained fingers tapped the hard, wooden table.

The evidence- what little she had to work with- was clear as day. If you knew what to look for. Unfortunately, these investigators did not. They were scared. They were trying to find ways to connect this to Grindelwald. She could understand the connections they were making, but it was all wrong. Their single solution mindset was blinding them from finding the real answer.

She looked at the photos again. The dismantled building from that morning had distinctive cross hatch marks all over the bricks. Eye witness accounts claim it was "black smoke" that had "white eyes." It was so obvious. Professor Dumbledore was right. This is an obscurus. Hermione's heart broke, but she wouldn't let those emotions keep her from helping this kid. She'll find them and save them. She doesn't care how large the city is, she'll comb through every bit and get them help. Before it's too late.

Despite her exasperation with the rest of the team shooting down her theories about this being a beast, she doesn't think she actually wants them to know it's an obscurus. These wizards would end up getting the child killed in their attempts to "help." One man did agree with her. Percival Graves. Director of Magical Security and head of MACUSA's Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He would back up her theories with his personal accounts. She was grateful for his attempts, but it didn't do much.

Hermione sighed and stretched out her back. A look at her watch showed she'd only been there two hours. It was growing later in the afternoon there in New York. The time difference from London made that day drag out. She was coming to the realization that she'd have to do this alone if she wanted it done correctly. There was no way she was taking this team of wand happy investigators to help a scared little kid. Perhaps Graves might be willing to be of assistance.

Madame Picquery flew into the room with a presence that demanded attention and respect. Hermione could certainly admire that in this woman. She was calm, her posture and facial expressions giving away nothing.

"I want this taken care of as soon as possible." She met each of our eyes. "What information have you gathered?"

Each of them described possible theories. Each one vaguer than the last involving a "dark wizard" with "great power".

Hermione was able to say her piece, but was quickly shot down once more.

"The International Confederation is threatening to send a delegation." Her eyes flicked to Hermione. "They think this is related to Grindelwald's attacks in Europe." Madame Picquery said.

"I was there. Lawson is correct, this is a beast. No human could do what this thing is capable of, Madame President." Graves chimed in.

"Whatever it is, one thing's clear, it must be stopped." She looked up at us. "It's terrorizing No-Majs and when No-Majs are afraid, they attack. This could mean exposure. It could mean war."

Hermione couldn't help but agree. She continued to look over the evidence trying to find something more substantial than pictures of bricks to convince these people.

"I made your position here quite clear, Miss Goldstein." Picquery's voice intoned.

Hermione looked up noting that everyone's attention was on the newcomers. A thin woman with short, dark hair and a tall man with messy auburn tresses.

"Yes, Madam President, but I-" The woman- Miss Goldstein- began.

"You are no longer an Auror."

"No, Madam President, but-"

"Goldstein."

"There's been a minor incident…" The woman trailed off sounding unsure.

"Well, this office is currently concerned with very major incidents. Get out."

"Yes, ma'am." The woman looked perfectly chastised as she walked away.

Hermione had to admire Madame Picquery's composure. She didn't allow an ounce of the irritation she was sure to be feeling leak out and let her words speak for themselves. Hermione had been in that sort of position before as head of her department and couldn't say she handled it as well.

Putting the interruption out of her mind she got back to work. Even though it was quickly becoming an annoyance. She itched to go into the city. Find the kid. Help them.

Percival Graves had left some time ago, Hermione didn't pay it any mind. The rest of the team was getting just as restless as she was.

"Madame President," She began. "I have a viable theory that should be backed up with field evidence." She was pulling all of this out of nowhere, of course. "With all due respect, I fall under the British Ministry and have permission to operate as I see fit."

Madame Picquery's eyebrow twitched and her lips pursed ever so slightly. "Be that as it may, this is still my country."

"Which is why I'm asking your permission."

She had just opened her mouth to respond when a man came running in. He and the president had a quick, hushed conversation. As fast as the man came in, he left.

Madame Picquery turned back to face the investigation team.

"There has been another instance of a muggle building crumbling."

Some of the investigators whispered to each other. Hermione heard the words "dark magic" and internally scoffed.

"Miss Lawson," She began. "Consider your request granted. The rest of you, find a solution."

Hermione had to give it to her. She definitely knew how to diplomatically deal with people she didn't care for.

She turned around and went to grab her stuff. She threw on her coat, released her wand from her hair and put the bag over her shoulder. She walked out of the Major Investigative Department with her head held high despite not knowing where she was going. She'll figure it out.

* * *

New York was not dissimilar to London with the scent of industrialization in the air, overcast grey clouds, and a wet cold that seeped into your bones. Hermione would never say that out loud though. She wrapped her thick coat tighter around her small frame and turned the collar up.

Getting out of MACUSA was slightly more difficult than she expected. She got turned around twice. She didn't know what it was about Ministries and confusing layouts. Finding the dismantled building was easier. She just had to follow the sound of sirens and look for the crowd of people. Finding a billywig flying about was unexpected.

Quickly, she reached her hand up curling around its form and avoiding the stinger. She sent a light stunner at it and it relaxed in her hand. She dug around in her beaded bag for a small jar and used her wand to quickly outfit it with a suitable environment. Carefully, she slid the billywig from her palm into the jar and put the lid on.

She held it up for a moment taking a closer look. These creatures were native to Australia, so what was it doing here? She put the jar in her bag making sure it won't be jostled. She'll figure that one out another time. There were more important things taking precedence at the moment.

The crowd around the building was frantically explaining that it was a gas explosion. Their expressions were slightly glazed. Another wizard must have already taken care of witnesses. Bugger.

She was walking up to get a closer look at the destroyed brick on the outside of the building when it started to float up and back to its original place. They were repairing the evidence. Great.

Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose, took a deep breath, and calmly walked inside the building. They were probably unseasoned aurors that didn't yet know not to mess with evidence. Even though it is covered _thoroughly_ in auror training. She took the stairs two at a time hoping she won't let her temper get the better of her.

She heard voices coming from the room and stepped quieter.

"It might be." A man said.

"Then look for it! Look!" The woman said frantically.

There was a groan and Hermione craned her neck to see through the crack in the door.

"His neck's bleeding, he's hurt!" The woman said, worried.

A sudden shout and slight growling had Hermione throwing open the door wand in hand. A pale creature with willowy quills on its back was attached to the woman's arm. It was quickly tossed to the man who was able to put it in his beaten case.

"Was that a murtlap?" Hermione asks, confused frown marring her features as she takes in the scene.

It was the same pair that interrupted the investigation team earlier. The ex-auror and the minor incident. They were looking at her, stunned. A man was on the ground in the corner groaning, a sheen of sweat on his skin and a wound on his neck.

"Oh dear, has he been bitten?" Hermione asked as she walked over to the poor man, putting her wand away. With a reaction like that to a murtlap bite, she'd say he was a muggle. She was reaching into her bag for a poultice when he suddenly sprang to life.

"You!" He exclaimed pointing at the man in the blue coat.

"Hello." The man said simply.

"Easy, Mr.-" The woman said as she made her way over to him.

"Kowalski, Jacob." They shook hands and the other man took out his wand.

Mr. Kowalski recoiled immediately, trying to get away from the wand. Hermione paused her rummaging through her bag and looked up watching the others.

"You can't obliviate him!" The woman exclaims, sensing his intentions. "We need him as a witness."

"I'm sorry, you've just yelled at me the length of New York for not doing it in the first place." The man said exasperated.

"He's hurt! He looks ill!"

"He has been affected by a magical creature and can't be obliviated until after the effects have passed." Hermione explained, she turned to the woman. "Mr. Kowalski will be fine, murtlap bites are not fatal. In fact they're quite common."

"She is correct. Murtlap bites aren't serious. I admit that is a slightly more severe reaction than I've seen, but if it was really serious, he'd have..." The man trailed off.

"What?"

"Well, the first symptom would be flames out of his anus." He said, somewhat reluctantly.

Mr. Kowalski looked terrified and the woman looked horrified. Hermione frowned in sympathy.

"It'll last forty-eight hours at most!" The man assured. "I can keep him if you want me to."

"Oh, keep him?" The woman asked incredulously. "We don't keep them! Mr. Scamander, do you know anything about the wizarding community in America?"

Hermione stilled. Scamander?

"I do know a few things, actually." He began. "I know you have rather backwards laws about relations with non-magic people. That you're not meant to befriend them, that you can't marry them, which seems mildly absurd to me."

"Really? You're not allowed to interact with them?" Hermione asked frowning. She couldn't believe how backwards the wizarding world can be sometimes.

She looked to the tall man in the blue coat. Scamander?

"Who's going to marry him?"

That was a bit uncalled for in Hermione's opinion. She opened her mouth to defend the muggle, but the woman continued.

"You're both coming with me." She turned to Hermione. "And you? Who are you?"

"Usually one introduces themselves before demanding the identity of the other." Hermione said taken aback.

The woman sighed, impatient. "Tina Goldstein. I'm with MACUSA."

Hermione looked her over. Gone was the subordinate posture from when she was in front of her President, in her place stood someone confident but desperate.

"Auror Hermione Lawson. I'm with the British international investigation team." She pulled out her badge that was so conveniently made for her yesterday.

Hermione saw the man shuffle a bit out of the corner of her eye.

"I didn't know the British were involved." Miss Goldstein said warily.

"It's just me, I assure you." Hermione gave a quick smile and turned to the man next to them. He wouldn't fully meet her eyes.

"N-Newt Scamander. Pleasure to meet you're acquaintance, Miss Lawson." He nodded at her. "And I don't see why I need to come with you." He said turning toward Miss Goldstein.

Newt Scamander. _Newt Scamander_. Newt Scamander who – she assumes - is currently in the middle of an unexpected extended stay in New York in 1926 where he is the first person to capture Gellert Grindelwald. After the success of her book about Albus Dumbledore, Rita Skeeter decided to write a "tell all" about Newt Scamander and his role in the conflict with Grindelwald. Which caused Newt Scamander to correct her lies and confide other information.

Hermione was angry. That manipulative old man! Although in this time period, Dumbledore isn't really old. Still! He knew Grindelwald would be here and he knew she wouldn't hesitate to help a scared kid in need. She trusted him. And he used her the same way the ministry wants to use her, and the way Margaret and Edwin want to use her.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and a nauseating turn in her stomach.

* * *

Hermione did not appreciate being side-along apperated without her permission. And she let it be known. Extensively.

Newt thought it was amusing, Jacob seemed a bit terrified, and Tina was getting aggravated.

Hermione took a deep breath letting the chilled, winter air fill her lungs. She fingered the buttons on her coat. Between her snide comments about apperation etiquette, Hermione learned that Newt Scamander had a case full of creatures and some of them had got out. She allowed herself two minutes to be impressed, jealous, and angry at herself for not thinking of having her own case of magical creatures before. Then she let worry and urgency take over. There's no telling what would happen to those poor things if they're not found.

Which was why she didn't really understand what they were doing. They were heading to Miss Goldstein's apartment, that much was clear, but the creatures are still out there. She knew Newt shared her thoughts because he kept looking around and fidgeting.

Although fidgeting might just be normal for him. Who knew Newt Scamander was so awkward? Not that she really has a leg to stand on with her rather abrasive personality and her own restlessness. Although her fidgeting was something entirely different.

Hermione had a thought to leave the group at first. But her worry over the creatures and the obscurus won out over her indignation at being coerced into fighting Grindelwald. If there was anyone she thought would be able to aid her in helping the obscurus, it would be Newt Scamander. And she wants to help him get his creatures back.

They arrived at the apartment and Hermione looked around in wonder. Magical households will never get old to her. Introductions were made and Hermione found Queenie's bubbly spirit refreshing. Newt kept looking toward the windows and doors, seemingly trapped. Tina walked around putting away things.

"You need to sit down, honey." Queenie steered Jacob to the couch where he landed heavily, still sweating.

"Hey, he hasn't eaten all day. That's rough, he didn't get the money he wanted for his bakery. You bake, honey? I love to cook." Queenie spoke having a one-sided conversation.

Strange. But Hermione has seen stranger. She thinks of Luna and her gentle, odd wisdom and otherworldly mannerisms.

"You're a legilimens?" Newt turns, interested.

"Uh-huh, yeah. But I always have trouble with your kind. Brits. It's the accent." Queenie looks between Newt and Hermione.

Hermione panics. She throws up what meager occlumency shields she has. She was always rubbish at occlumency, she could read the text on how it works but could never quite get it right in practice. She's cursing it now. She has sensitive information that should be kept secret.

Her mental tirade pauses. If time is a loop, then this has already happened. It doesn't matter what Queenie sees in her mind because everything will work out anyway. Tentatively, she relaxes. She just won't think too hard about major events and dates around her.

"Hey, Mr. Scamander, Miss Lawson, you prefer pie or strudel?" She asks.

"I don't really have a preference." Newt says looking away from the door he was inching toward.

"Either is fine." Hermione gave a polite smile and fiddled with the sleeve of her coat.

Queenie turned to Jacob who was already sitting at the table. "You prefer strudel, huh, honey? Strudel it is."

They all watch as Queenie magically wraps and bakes the pastry. It reminded Hermione of the times she would watch Mrs. Weasley cook. She felt a pang knowing she won't see them for a long time.

Well, sit down, you two." Tina says looking between Newt and Hermione. "We're not going to poison you."

* * *

Dinner was a strange affair.

Queenie and Jacob got along famously. Their flirting was as cute as it was sickening. Hermione didn't really have an appetite to begin with. Newt avoided all eye contact and Tina kept glancing at him suspiciously.

Hermione didn't try to talk. Not that she could get a word in between Queenie and Jacob. She mostly sat there fiddling with her utensils and shifting in her seat.

It was a relief when Newt called an end to dinner and Tina showed them where they'd be sleeping. The men were put in a guest room and Hermione was shown to a cot in the sisters' room. She was thankful they were kind enough to let her stay. Her handlers never told her where they made arrangements for her. If they did at all. They were probably hoping she'd be gone by the end of the day.

The sisters decided to make hot cocoa and after receiving her cup and letting the drink warm her and soothe her worries, she told them she was going to freshen up a bit.

She walked into the tiny bathroom and took her coat off, storing it in her leather bag. She pulled her blouse out of the way and checked her bite wound in the mirror over the sink. Prodding only gave the slightest twinge. She cleaned it and smothered more murtlap essence on it. She ran her fingers through her messy curls feeling them catch on knots. It was a miracle, but she found a hair tie in the depths of her bag and messily threw her hair up in a bun out of the way.

She liked the Goldstein sisters. Queenie had such a likable personality. Tina reminded Hermione of her younger self. So quick to believe in authority. She didn't want to disrespect the Goldstein's hospitality, but she was on a mission. With a heavy sigh she decided that her mission was more important. She was going to leave when she could.

She was walking down the hallway and paused when she heard a thump come from the guest room. She heard it again and walked over to the door laying her ear against it. She reached for the door handle and heard it again, louder.

She opened the door just in time to see Jacob fall into Newt's case which quickly latched itself up.

She paused for a short moment. She's seen weirder things. She looked over her shoulder to see if Queenie or Tina heard anything and were about to come running. She looked back to the case biting her lip and flexing her fingers.

She could afford a detour.

Quickly, she closed the door behind her and quietly made her way to the case. She knelt down and laid it on the floor. The latches popped when she moved her thumbs, and she slowly opened the lid.

She looked over her shoulder once more and looked down into the case.

"Come on, Alice, we're all mad down here." She mumbled stepping down.


	4. Chapter 4

The staircase leading down was closer to a strange ladder. It left a lot to be desired. Hermione was careful about where she placed her feet.

She closed the lid behind her and simply marveled at the wonders of magic for a moment.

She'd cast extension charms on her bag of course, and she'd been inside a magical tent numerous times since the quidditch world cup in '94. She'd never thought to merge the two concepts. She was practically vibrating in her skin thinking about the many different spells used and theories on relative space.

"See, you're a muggle." Newt was facing away from her as she came down. "So our physiologies are subtly different."

Jacob was to her right, but didn't notice her. They watched Newt open jars and grab leaves. Confidence in his every movement.

Hermione looked around what appeared to be a wooden shack of some sort. Tables and storage drawers lined the walls. Plants crept down from the ceiling. Equipment hung on the walls and sat on shelves. An old typewriter sat off in the corner, stacks of paper surrounding it.

He must be writing his first edition. Hermione felt excitement bubble up in her throat manifesting as a smile on her bitten lips. She fiddled with the strap of her bag.

Newt turned around, poultice in one hand cup of water in the other. He paused when he saw her. Jacob saw him looking at something and jumped not seeing her there before.

"Miss Lawson." Newt nodded in greeting if a little confused. Hermione smiled in response.

He continued over to Jacob, grounding the green substance in his palm and rubbing it into Jacob's wound. Jacob made a noise of disgust and Hermione chuckled.

"Stay still." He murmured. "That should stop the sweating." He gestured to the pills he brought over. "And one of those should sort the twitch." He turned away going back to the other side of the shack.

Jacob looked up at Hermione with a raised eyebrow. She nodded and gestured to the medicine. He shrugged and took it.

Newt set about chopping meat and gathering his normal supplies for his creatures. He ignored his two visitors. His shirt had become wrinkled and untucked, his tie undone. Hermione thought he was perfectly at home here in his case. She leaned back against the ladder-steps and crossed her arms tapping her fingers, watching him.

"And you, Miss Lawson?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Are you here to investigate?"

"Hmm?" She frowned in confusion. Investigate? "No, I'm just curious. I work-worked" She corrected herself. "With beasts." She finished lamely.

Newt frowned.

"I was actually about to leave the flat, but I heard a noise and saw Jacob fall into your case. So I followed." She added.

That didn't exactly seem to satisfy him. His shoulders were still tensed. He turned quickly, handing a bucket of meat to Jacob. "Take that."

Jacob took it, confused and a little disgusted. He looked at Hermione again. She raised one shoulder in a shrug.

Newt had turned away again and picked up a vial. There was something in his palm that he was gently squeezing, coaxing a blue stream into the flask.

"Come on." He murmured.

Hermione looked on, tilting her head in curiosity. It was clear that it was a creature of some kind but she couldn't place it from this angle.

"Whatcha got there?" Jacob asked brow furrowed.

"This, the locals call Swooping Evil. Not the friendliest of names. It's quite an agile fellow. I've been studying him. And I am pretty sure his venom could be quite useful if properly diluted."

"Obliviative properties." Hermione muttered, unable to help herself. She'd read about them of course. The circumstances of how she'd read about them..

"Yes." Newt's mouth quirked up, intrigued by Hermione's knowledge. "Just to remove bad memories, you know."

He swung his arm, letting the creature fly towards them. Its wings flapping, trying to get closer to them, tail secure in Newt's grip.

Jacob and Hermione leaned back in surprise. She let out a laugh.

Newt looked down toward his feet, sneaking glances toward his visitors. He had a smile on his face. It was clear he was proud of his creatures.

"Probably shouldn't let him loose in here though."

He turned to the door and pushed it open, beckoning them to follow. Jacob held the door for Hermione as she walked out into the rest of the case.

She looked around in awe seeing the enclosure before them. It looked like it had been built to imitate desert plains with large smooth rocks and coarse dirt. Thunder sounded and she saw Newt standing just in front of them with an umbrella charm. A golden thunderbird flapped its large wings. She and Jacob walked closer but stayed out of the rain.

"Come on. Oh, thank Paracelsus. If you'd have got out that could have been quite catastrophic." Newt said beckoning the creature closer as it landed. "You see, he's the real reason I came to America. To bring Frank home."

Hermione had a wide smile on her face. She'd only seen one thunderbird before, years ago. It wasn't quite as majestic as Frank was. Poachers had plucked most of its feathers to sell to wandmakers.

Jacob had his jaw dropped and Hermione had to suppress a giggle. He stepped closer and the thunderbird let out a noise.

"No, sorry, stay there, he's a wee bit sensitive to strangers."

Newt went on to explain about how he'd found him in Egypt chained up. So Newt had healed him and was going to release him in Arizona.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed in sympathy. She looked closer and noticed scarring on his beak and talons. Nervous look in his eye. He so clearly trusted Newt. She always knew he had a love of creatures, and his book clearly exemplified that, but to see it first hand..

It had to take its toll on him. To have to rescue abused creatures and see the horrors that humans can put them through. But to rehabilitate them and help them, she knew, was just as rewarding and made everything worth it.

She followed the men over to another enclosure. Spinning around and looking in awe at all the creatures and habitats. She would love to pick his brain over the enchantments he used to keep everything working properly.

Newt was calling something over. She was paying more attention to the other animals moving freely. Fwoopers, billywigs, diricawls, and so many more. She thought she saw a water enclosure off to the side. A few light spells were up near the ceiling operating as separate suns. The structures themselves reminded Hermione of staging for plays. If she looked close enough, out in the distance she could see the edges of the case.

Something bumped into her legs from behind nearly sending her to the ground. She looked down to see a small four-legged creature with a spiny neck and tentacles. Graphorns! She'd never seen one before. In her time they were place on a reserve to try to preserve and grow their small population.

She crouched down and let the tentacles scent her shoulders and face. "Hello, little one. Yes, yes." She cooed.

Jacob still looked a mildly terrified by the large beasts.

"So they're the last breeding pair in existence. If I hadn't managed to rescue them, that could have been the end of Graphorns, forever." Newt informed them.

Hermione was in shock. Newt is the sole reason they even have that small reserve in her time. She can't remember if it was ever mentioned. Perhaps he didn't want the credit. She continued to talk to the little one in front of her, the tentacles cold against her exposed neck.

Newt looked over smiling at Hermione's obvious enjoyment. He glanced toward Jacob watching him piece things together. The graphorn nudged him and he laughed.

"Alright." He threw the meat out into the enclosure watching the smaller creature run to it.

Hermione stood up from her crouched position, dusting her pants off and righting her ruffled blouse.

"What, you rescue these creatures?" Jacob asked.

"Yes, that's right. Rescue, nurture, and protect them." Newt said turning away from the Graphorn family. "And I'm gently trying to educate my fellow wizards about them." He explained leading them up some steps into a cave-like structure that led to a small bamboo forest.

"Titus? Finn? Poppy, Marlow, Tom?" Newt called out as they got closer to a tree with thin, green, insect-like creatures. He was now holding a bowtruckle, letting it walk on the tops of his hands. "He had a cold. He needed some body warmth." He told them.

Jacob made a sympathetic noise and Hermione gave a small smile. Newt was trying to coax the bowtruckle to go back to the tree, but it wasn't working. She laughed, attachment issues.

"All right. But that is exactly why they accuse me of favoritism." Newt gave in.

"Perhaps you're his new home tree." Hermione teased.

Newt looked at her surprised, but he chuckled and ducked his head. "He just likes the attention, I'm afraid."

Pickett blew a raspberry at him. Hermione laughed. She looked at Jacob who was watching the bowtruckles with a furrowed brow.

"Amazing isn't it?" She asked him.

"What?" He turned to her.

"All of this." She gestured around. "I remember my first time seeing a magical creature." She said with a fond smile.

"Really? Was it any of these kinds?" He asked.

She shook her head no and let out a strangled laugh. "No, it was a Cerberus."

She left him gaping at her as she walked over to where Newt was crouched near a nest. Jacob followed at a much slower pace.

"I know these guys." He said fondly.

Newt scooped one of the beasts up into his hands.

"Your Occamy." He said to Jacob.

"What do you mean? My Occamy?"

"Yes, do you want to…" He gestured.

"Yeah, sure. Okay." Jacob cupped his hands and held the newborn.

"And you?" Hermione turned. Newt was holding another out to her in question.

"Oh, I'm fine, thank you." She held up her hand that had a few scars on it. "Occamies and I don't exactly get along usually."

His brows furrowed in sympathy. She could see thoughts whirring behind his green eyes.

"Ah!" Jacob cried shaking his hand.

"No, sorry, don't pet them. They learn to defend themselves early. See, their shells are made of silver so they're incredibly valuable. Their nests tend to get ransacked by hunters."

Jacob gave the occamy back to Newt. Hermione watched on as it slithered around his hands as he set it back into the nest. Newt held out some pellets to Hermione, and she helped him feed the little ones.

"Mr. Scamander?"

"Call me Newt."

"Newt, I don't think I'm making this up." Jacob said looking out around the case.

"What gave it away?" He asked as he threw another pellet.

"I ain't got the brains to make this up."

An occamy almost got Hermione. She looked toward Jacob. A muggle who's been brought into this crazy, wonderful world. She can see clearly the amazement and wonder and a tinge of disbelief on his face. It was the same as when she first stepped into Diagon Alley or first held her wand or first saw the castle.

But he was a muggle. He wasn't supposed to know all of this. Especially now when Grindelwald is on the rise and the Statute of Secrecy is being threatened. Not all muggles would react like Jacob did. That's why the law is so strict. That's why he'll have to be obliviated.

She shared a look with Newt.

She was starting to like Jacob. Queenie definitely did. She's sure Newt enjoys his company. And Tina… It didn't matter if she did or not, Tina would uphold the law. Hermione was saddened, it wasn't like she could do anything.

"Actually, would you mind throwing some of those pellets in with the mooncalves over there?" Newt asked him, gesturing to another enclosure off to the side.

"Yeah, sure." Jacob started heading over that way.

"You have mooncalves?" Hermione asked before she could stop herself. "Of course you do."

A delighted laugh bubbled out of her and she looked over at Newt catching him watch her with a curious expression on his face. He turned quickly and put a barrel of some red colored substance and a bag of feed in a wheel barrel and started pushing it up an incline. Hermione followed him, hoping she could help him in some way.

He paused looking up at a little den underneath a tree bathed in light.

"Bugger." He continued pushing the wheel barrel. "Niffler's gone. Of course he has, little bugger. Any chance to get his hands on something shiny."

"Oh dear, I can't imagine. Must get into all sorts of trouble." Hermione worried.

"Absolutely incorrigible." Newt agreed.

He stopped by another enclosure with a large rock in the center. A nundu stalked by and roared, mane puffing out. Newt got the barrel and emptied the red substance on the rock. Hermione didn't know what it did, but the nundu seemed to enjoy it.

Newt led Hermione into a dark area light only by bioluminescent creatures. Hermione looked around in awe. She'd never seen these creatures before. They were breathtaking, and they looked like something you'd find deep in the ocean. She turned and saw Newt standing there holding a creature in his arms like a baby, its tentacles reaching out in all directions.

"Just when I think magic can't possibly amaze me anymore…" She trailed off. "Your case… This is brilliant, truly."

She looked over at Newt seeing a light blush dust over his face. He looked down and proceeded to feed the little beast once more. Hermione continued to look around the space. Flecks of gold floated through the air. Luminescent plants crept up the walls. A small pool of water glowed off to one side.

She turned back and only then did she realize that Newt had asked something and was waiting for her to respond.

"What?" She pushed a strand of hair that had fallen out of her bun behind her ear. Newt's eyes tracked the movement.

"I asked how you've come to know so much about creatures. Most witches and wizards aren't so.. accepting."

She thought for a minute how to answer him. She couldn't very well tell him the truth. She stepped closer and ran her finger along one of the tentacles gently.

"I worked in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures for a short while. I didn't like how they went about their regulation and control." She explained honestly even if she omitted key details.

"So now you're an auror." He concluded.

"Now I'm an auror." She confirmed bitterly.

They could hear Jacob a short distance away obviously enjoying the mooncalves. It brought a smile to her face. She peered at the creature in Newt's arms, its light casting a glow over them. She knew Newt was watching her, but she ignored it.

"Would you like to hold her?" Newt asked.

She took a small step back. "Oh, no, Mr. Scamander-"

"Newt, please. And I promise this one doesn't bite."

"Newt." She smiled. "Then you should call me Hermione."

She took a deep breath and rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. She held her arms out waiting for him to transfer the creature into her hold, but it never came.

She frowned looking up at him seeing his gaze locked on to something, eyebrows knit close together. She followed his gaze and sighed. The light coming from the creature perfectly highlighted the silver scars on her skin. Years of bite marks and scratches, but one stood out more than the others. One word eight letters long.

"Newt." She whispered.

His gaze flicked up to meet hers, confusion and sympathy coloring his features. He shook his head breaking their eye contact. He passed the creature into her arms. The soft, cold exterior rapidly warming from her skin.

"I don't understand," Newt began, lost for words. "Who would- The Lawsons are pureblood. I- I don't."

"It's a very long story." Hermione sighed meeting his gaze. She gave him a small sad smile.

She listened to the silence around them. It wasn't tense, but it wasn't very comfortable either.

Hermione stilled, eyes widening. Silence.

"Newt, where's Jacob?"

He listened for a moment then walked over and tried to spot him. Hermione followed. Newt turned quickly almost running into her before carefully pulling the creature from her arms and placing it back with the others.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her along quickly to another enclosure. Unlike the others, this one was closed off. The spelled tarp was flapping slightly in the wind and snow would blow out. The ducked through the opening to see Jacob inching closer to a swirling, black mass suspended in a bubble.

Hermione gasped, recognizing it instantly.

"Step back." Newt's voice was stern.

"Jeez..." Jacob said, noticing them.

"Step back."

"Jacob, please." Hermione implored.

Hermione knew that it was only being kept alive by that bubble around it. That without a host, couldn't survive. That didn't stop her from worrying about Jacob and his hand that was reaching toward it.

"What's the matter with this?"

"I said step away."

"Yeah. What the hell is this thing?"

"It's an Obscurus." Newt explained, a hint of sadness in his tone.

Newt turned, walking out of the enclosure. "I need to get going, find everyone who's escaped before they get hurt."

Hermione and Jacob followed right behind him.

* * *

_A/N: And that's all I've got so far! Let me know what you think yeah?_

_I'm coining the ship name Scamanger. I know Newmione is popular, just give Scamanger a try. Swish it around in your mouth, let it marinate.._

_Don't expect regular updates. My stories are never abandoned, but I am a college student and I'm trying to finish another story._

_My plan is to integrate Hermione into the Fantastic Beasts storyline. I don't know if I'll go all the way through the movies or break it off somewhere. I'm not making any commitments, just having fun._

_Thank you for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Soooo. I'm procrastinating my homework. And everything else. Here's an update!_

* * *

Hermione was feeling guilty.

The whole reason she'd come to New York was to help the obscurus before it was too late. On paper, it was simple. She'd do her research, head out into the city, find the child, and talk them down before anyone could get hurt. It was a miracle no one had gotten hurt already.

But she'd gotten sidetracked. Quite easily. Simply meeting Newt Scamander had thrown every possible wrench into her plan. She was now not only trying to look for the obscurus – doing a poor job of it – but she was also on the lookout for Grindelwald and helping Newt get his creatures back. One was the entire reason she had been brought to 1926, and the other was actually a bit noble and selfless.

That didn't change the fact that there was a kid out there hurting.

Jacob was leading them to Central Park where Newt hoped he'd find his erumpent. _Erumpent_. So, there they were. The three of them walking through the empty streets at night in the middle of the biting cold. Hermione saw old fashioned cars parked on the curb and had to grit her teeth because for a split second a small part of her brain thought she was just on a movie set.

She looked at the clothing her companions were wearing. Nope, it was real. Still in 1926. Still ripped away from everyone she loves. Still relied on to fight a war that was entirely _not her problem_.

The rounded the corner and came across a small shopping district of sorts. It was most likely geared toward a higher class. Most of the shop windows showcased expensive coats and dresses and more jewelry than Hermione had ever seen. The street lights made the diamonds glow and sparkle.

"I was watching you at dinner." Newt intoned, looking toward Jacob.

"Yeah."

"People like you, don't they, Mr. Kowalski?" Newt asked him.

Hermione frowned and looked up at Newt. Jacob looked startled by his question. Hermione couldn't really blame him it was rather odd. Though, it doesn't exactly phase Hermione, Luna takes the cake for weirdest questions asked.

"Well, I'm sure people like you too, huh?" Jacob answered, sounding unsure.

"No, not really. I annoy people." Newt said simply.

Hermione had to hold back an inappropriate giggle. She looked away from the pair watching the shop windows. If there were ever a place for a sneaky creature that liked shiny things…

"Ah." Jacob said not quite sure how to answer that. "And you, Hermione? People must like.. you?"

Hermione looked back at them, leaning forward a bit to see him from around Newt. The poor man didn't quite know what to do.

"God, no." She snorted. "I'm told I have an abrasive personality. It doesn't help that I'm a bit of a know-it-all."

She made it through Hogwarts with only two friends. One of which she fought with most of the time, and the other had his own life crisis going on all the time. It wasn't until they'd grown up and survived a war that others warmed up to her. Even then, she knew she grated on people's nerves. Some people only put up with it because she was a war hero and best friends with the Chosen One.

Her companions looked at her with disbelieving frowns. She held back a snort and rolled her eyes. They'd only just met, and she'd been quiet most of the time. She's sure they won't to remain friends after they find Newt's creatures.

She also didn't miss the irony that she was once again going on a quest with two men while a dark lord was out and about.

"Why did you decide to be a baker?" Newt turned back to Jacob.

"Well, because I'm dying in that canning factory. Everyone there's dying." Jacob sighed. "It just crushes the life outta you. You like canned food?" He asked them.

"No."

"Not really, no." Thoughts of sitting in a tent scraping cold beans out of a dented can floated through her memory.

"Yeah. Me neither. That's why I want to make pastries, you know. It makes people happy. We're going this way."

He led them to the right across the street. They followed.

"I think I like that answer, Jacob." Hermione smiled at him. "To make people happy."

Jacob chuckled and shrugged.

The wind blew making Hermione shiver and wrap her coat tighter around her. She shoved her hands into her pockets.

"So did you get your loan?" Newt asked him.

"No, I ain't got no collateral. Stayed in the army too long, apparently, I don't know."

"You fought in the war?"

"Of course I fought in the war, everyone fought in the war." Jacob frowned. "You didn't fight in the war?"

"I worked mostly with dragons, Ukrainian Ironbellies, Eastern Front."

"Ironbellies? Really?" Hermione chuckled. "I freed one a few years ago."

Newt looked over at her, intrigued.

"It was being used to guard treasure. Poor thing had been conditioned to expect pain when it heard a certain noise." Hermione continued.

"How did you manage to get it free? They're volatile at the best of times…" Newt trailed off, eyebrows knit together.

"Well," Hermione began in a strained voice. "We were being chased at the time. And one thing led to another: the chains were broken, we we're climbing on top of it, I bombarda-ed the ceiling and we flew away."

Newt looked speechless, mouth gaping slightly. Hermione cringed internally.

"Dragons, really? You flew on the back of a dragon." Jacob stated. Another wondrous thing he'd learned about. Dragons.

Suddenly, Newt stopped. Hermione nearly walked into him. She banged her knee into his case. She reached down to rub the sore spot and spotted what she assumed made Newt pause.

Diamonds. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, gems. They littered the pavement in front of them leaving a trail towards one of the stores. Newt followed it. He was careful with his movements, precise and quiet. His eyes darted around trying to find the little thing.

Hermione and Jacob shared a look then began following behind him.

Newt stopped again then stepped backward a few steps. He turned his head and Hermione followed his gaze.

She had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing.

The niffler was posed as if to imitate a jewelry stand. Their arm outstretched with necklaces and bracelets draped over it. It slowly turned its head and made eye contact with Newt.

Newt raised his eyebrows. The niffler scampered away into the store.

Newt jumped into action, wand in hand. "Finestra!"

The window shattered and Newt climbed through.

"Oh, Merlin." Hermione murmured, eyes wide as she watches him desperately pull open drawers and cupboards.

The niffler scrambled over his shoulders and onto the chandelier. Hermione pulled out her wand to help. Newt stood on a table reaching out. He overbalanced and grabbed onto the chandelier. Both of them hanging on swinging wildly.

Jacob looked up and down the street, running his hand over his slicked back hair hoping no one was noticing this.

"Petrificus totalus!" Hermione cried, but her spell missed accidentally hitting the chandelier. She thought frantically for another spell to use. "Immobulus!"

Everything paused. Newt and the niffler were frozen still hanging on. She moved to get them down, but the chandelier gave way crashing to the floor. Hermione cringed hoping they were alright.

A roar drew Hermione's attention to Newt's case. One of the latches had flicked open. She shared a look with Jacob. She could hear Newt chasing the niffler again. Jacob reached over and pushed the latch closed.

Glass broke and Newt fell through the window with the niffler. The creature ran off again, and Newt quickly got to his feet brandishing his wand.

"Accio!"

They rushed after the niffler, dodging jewelry along the way. The niffler looked at another display of beautiful sparkling gems and grabbed onto a lamppost. The creature was sent flying into the window which Hermione quickly transfigured into a sticky jelly, trapping it.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief glad they'd finally caught the little thing. She set about dusting jewelry off of her while Newt got the niffler and shook it out. She could hear sirens in the distance steadily growing louder, but she was more focused on releasing a necklace that had gotten thoroughly tangled in her curls.

The slamming of car doors and sound of guns being cocked drew Hermione's attention to the crowd of cops before them pointing weapons their way. She threw her hands up leaving the necklace to dangle in front of her face.

"They went that way, Officer." Jacob pointed down the street. Jewelry fell from his person.

"Hands up!"

A small squeak made Hermione look over to see the niffler peeking out from inside Newt's coat.

"What the hell is that?" One of the officers questioned.

Hermione's mind went into overdrive thinking of how they could get out of this situation without causing more trouble than they already have.

Jacob made a strangled noise looking to his left drawing everyone's attention. "Lion..."

Hermione sucked in a breath. The cops turned pointing their shaking guns at the lion walking toward them.

"You know, New York is considerably more interesting than Id expected." Newt said, amused by the turn of events.

He apperated them away.

* * *

The closer they got to the zoo, the faster Newt walked.

They saw the crumbled structures and broken enclosures. Large holes in the brick walls showed that something large must have broken through. The cold weather was more apparent away from the city streets. The ground and path before them was covered in snow. The lake nearby was frozen. An ostrich ran by nearly toppling them. They could hear distant roars coming from inside.

Hermione was falling behind slightly. She had gotten rid of all the jewelry except the stubborn necklace that was still tangled in her hair.

They stopped and Newt crouched down pulling something out of his case.

"Put this on." He handed Jacob a protective chest piece and headgear.

"Why would I have to wear something like this?" He asked as Newt strapped Jacob in.

"Because your skull is susceptible to breakage under immense force."

Newt looked over at Hermione contemplating whether to give her something or not. He frowned noticing her fiddling with the necklace in her hair. Without thinking, he walked over gently pushing her hands out of the way and carefully set about untangling it.

Hermione watched him, surprised at his actions. His hands, calloused from years of hard work with creatures, were gentle. She took the moment while he was focused to study him. His eyes, which she assumed were merely green, had a ring of brown surrounding his pupils, bleeding out and merging with the green. Freckles dusted across his nose and on his cheeks. His unruly fringe hung down over his eyes, his tongue darted out wetting his lips.

"I suppose you're capable of protecting yourself?" He asked her.

She blinked. "Of course." She looked around and saw Jacob standing with protective gear on.

"Oh." She scrunched her nose in distaste at the outdated items.

Newt let out a chuckle and stepped away. He tossed the freed necklace away and began leading them at a quick pace. She and Jacob scrambled to follow.

The closer they got, the louder the roars could be heard. Jacob visibly began to get more nervous. Hermione's heart went out to him. If she hadn't have already been through so much worse than a simple erumpent, she would have been the same as him.

Hermione started up a stream of information telling Jacob most everything she knew about erumpents and their habits. Newt looked a little impressed and intrigued. She used to do this for Harry when he was really worried about something. She'd just start talking and spilling her knowledge. It gave him something to focus on other than his troubles. Jacob seemed to be calming bit by bit.

They stopped at the rhino exhibit and saw a giant creature with leathery skin and a glowing horn protruding from its snout. The erumpent had cornered a considerably smaller rhino.

"Now, there's absolutely nothing for you to worry about." Newt told Jacob attempting to reassure him.

"Tell me, has anyone ever believed you when you told them not to worry?" It didn't work.

"My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice." Newt supplied.

He turned away to check back on his creature.

"Have some faith, Jacob, we won't let you get hurt." Hermione said patting his shoulder.

He gave her a weak smile.

"She's in season. She needs to mate." Newt explained, coming back over to them and pulling out a vial of liquid. "Erumpent musk, she's mad for it."

He unstopped the flask and dabbed it on his wrists. He can't truly think…? Hermione caught a whiff of it and turned her head away scrunching her nose in distaste. Newt handed the rest of it to Jacob, picked up his case and slowly walked out toward the erumpent.

With a flourish he opened his case and crouched.

Hermione frowned tilting her head to the side watching him. She crossed her arms and tapped her fingers.

"What is he…?" Jacob trailed off.

Newt continued to dance about the case making noises and grunts gaining the erumpent's attention.

Hermione let out a giggle and covered her mouth to contain her mirth.

"He's performing a mating ritual or dance of some kind." She said just as Newt flipped the tails of his coat. Her giggles began anew despite admiring the view presented.

Jacob looked more amused than terrified. He smiled along with Hermione.

Something hit Hermione's shoulder bumping her into Jacob who then spilled the phial of musk on them both. Hermione rubbed her shoulder where it was hit looking down to see a fish. Thoroughly confused, she looked around and saw everyone frozen. She could now smell the musk on her and the erumpent was looking at them.

It charged at them and Jacob grabbed her arm dragging her behind him as he ran. She flicked her wrist bringing her wand into her hand. She looked behind them and saw the erumpent gaining on them. She knew spells would be useless on the erumpent's hide, so she adjusted her grip on Jacob and apperated them away.

They landed on the other side of the penguin exhibit and the erumpent charged after them once more. They ran again hearing the ice breaking behind them. She apperated them once more at the base of a tree outside the zoo.

They paused to catch their breath. They met each other's eyes and laughed.

The erumpent broke through the wall startling them. Jacob started climbing the tree and after a moment's hesitation, Hermione followed.

"We're not safe here." Hermione told him once they made it on a sturdy branch.

The erumpent pushed on the tree jostling them causing them to nearly fall.

"You think so?"

"Look at her!" Hermione gestured toward the erumpent who was now shoving her horn into the base of the tree.

"Newt!" Jacob called, panicked.

Hermione grabbed Jacob's hand and apperated them out onto the icy lake just as the tree exploded. The large creature raced after the again and they scrambled to get to their feet. They ran as fast as they could while trying not to slip.

The erumpent's steps shook the ice beneath them causing them to fall. They turned to face the erumpent just as Newt captured it, closing the case.

All three of them were breathing heavily. Hermione let out a relieved laugh.

* * *

Back in the case once more, they were still giggling. Even as Newt went off to repair the erumpent enclosure and make sure she was alright, her and Jacob couldn't stop laughing.

"Not how you expected your day to go, I assume?" She asked Jacob, _finally_ calming down.

"Not at all." He breathed in deep and let it flow out in a sigh. "What about you? Is this sort of thing common in your world?"

"Oh no, I do believe this to be a special case." Her eyes sparkled at her word play. Jacob laughed. "I've worked with creatures before, but I haven't had this much fun in ages."

And she meant it. She could remember one night shortly after the war ended, their grief had taken a momentary reprieve. Harry, Ron, and she sat around the fireplace at Grimauld and _laughed_. They reminisced on the past few years, absurdities, pranks, meltdowns, classmates, professors, ridiculousness. It felt good. It felt like healing. She hadn't had fun like that in a while.

The door to the shack opened and Newt walked in paying them no mind. He opened a small book and began writing in it. He inked words with frantic movements trying to get all his thoughts on the page before he lost them.

Jacob made a passing comment about going to see the mooncalves again and Newt through a mumbled warning about the obscurus over his shoulder.

Hermione stepped closer noting the sketches of creatures and scattered notes strewn about the table. She peered over his shoulder to read some of his writing. She was unsurprised to find multiple bullets about erumpents. She heard Newt mumbling under his breath, thoughts that couldn't be contained.

Newt noticed her inch closer and looked up at her. He saw curiosity and amusement etched into her smile. He found her fascinating, he'd yet to meet someone with such a wide range of both knowledge and compassion for all creatures.

"You were there," He mentioned, unable to stop himself from sharing his thoughts. "The erumpent's exploding liquid didn't explode right away. Erumpent horns almost always explode on contact which means-"

"That there's a level of reactivity either in the liquid or the horn itself." Hermione finished with a smile. She already knew this, of course. She read it in his book. Not to mention the explosive experience of the latent reaction from the erumpent horn Xenophilius Lovegood thought was the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

Newt looked a little surprised at her contribution, but he was quickly coming to accept her being knowledgeable about creatures.

"Personally, I think that the erumpet can control it. She seemed to know exactly what she was doing when she exploded the tree. Not to mention how unstable erumpent horns can be when separated from the creature." Hermione rambled, unable to contain her knowledge.

At Newt's expression, she clamped her mouth shut, blush staining her cheeks. She fiddled with the sleeves of her coat and looked away. _Know-it-all._

Newt smiled. She was… a breath of fresh air. Most witches and wizards he's met in his travels reacted to creatures with fear and scorn. But not her.

"How did you get involved with creatures?" Newt wondered, bringing her attention back to him.

Hermione thought for a moment about when she began to care for these creatures. She traced it back to her third year, before she learned about house elves, before she knew about Professor Lupin's struggles as a werewolf.

"A hippogriff was put on trial for hurting a student, which in itself is rather idiotic, but I spent a long time put a case together to free him from a death sentence. It was barbaric." She sighed thinking back to her third year. She shook her head.

"And were you able to get it acquitted?"

Hermione gave an amused smile. "Not at all." She laughed. "We snuck him away under their noses."

Hermione sighed. Those were much simpler times.

"And you?" She asked him. "What inspired you to…" She trailed off gesturing around her at the case in general.

He shook his head and looked down at his feet. "My mother loved hippogriffs. She bred them for a living. She showed me how to care for them." He looked off into the distance, wistful. "My mother taught me a lot of things."

Hermione smiled. Her fingers spun one of the buttons on her coat around.

"I've been thinking a lot, you know." He set his quill down and turned to face her. He was frowning and seemed unsure. "As a pureblood, my mother made sure my brother and I knew pureblood politics. We had to know the other pureblood families. The Lawsons being one of those."

Hermione dropped her gaze clasping her hands together to keep from fidgeting.

"Edwin was a few years younger than I was in school. He and I never really spoke, but I'm sure I would have known if he had another family member named Hermione about his age."

Hermione had to curse the Ministry again. They come up with this grand idea to stop Grindelwald by using a time traveler but they don't even give them a solid cover. They thought as long as she had her papers, no one would question it. Never mind the fact that her "parents" are the same age as her. Anyone with half a brain can deduce that she hadn't been here for the entirety of her life.

Hermione tried to think of some excuse, but he continued on.

"It doesn't add up. Your ease and knowledge of creatures, the scar on your arm despite being from a pureblood family, you're age despite claiming the Lawson name…" His eyebrows were pinched, looking at the woman before him, he wanted to trust her.

She opened her mouth to say something, _anything_.

"Please don't lie to me." Newt said. For once he was looking her in the eye.

Hermione's chest tightened. She wanted to trust Newt. She wanted so desperately to have someone in this time that she could trust. She remembered how Dumbledore had used her position, manipulated her bleeding heart, and sent her to New York to fight his battle. She couldn't take someone else using her.

She opened her eyes, not realizing they'd closed in the first place, and met Newt's pleading, wary stare. He's a good man. He so clearly tries to be. Maybe…

A knock sounded through the case breaking the moment.

* * *

_A/N: Originally, this chapter was going to be a bit longer, but then the chapter was already getting long enough._

_You all know what's next though! I'm excited._

_Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think, yeah?_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I suppose one of the good things about this Coronavirus isolation is that I have a smidge more time to write now that my school has gone online only. Although, I'm an art major so I'm not sure how that's going to work, haha._

_Stay healthy! And enjoy this update!_

* * *

Hermione stepped out of the case and had to fight the urge to turn around and go back in.

The hall reminded her of the Wizengamot chamber or the muggle parliament courtroom. The large collection of older, judgmental delegations further cemented this fact.

Hermione stood tall, her back straight and chin held high. This was a posture she was familiar with from all her time battling the Wizengamot on reforms and regulations. It showed that she had a backbone and wouldn't be so easily cowed. She made eye contact with every representative she looked at.

She noticed Tina Goldstein standing in the center of the room with them but off to the side. She was back to being the submissive subordinate. Her eyes shined with feint hope and desperation. And Hermione realized it. _She was the one who brought them there_.

Newt and Jacob seemed sheepish. Their nervous energy was palpable. Jacob was overwhelmed to be surrounded by so many powerful figures from a world he only just learned of. Newt knew he was in trouble.

"Scamander? Lawson?" A British voice asked.

"Oh, er, hello, Minister."

Hermione nodded her head in greeting.

"Theseus Scamander? The war hero?" A man asked.

"No, this is his little brother. And what in the name of Merlin are you doing in New York?"

Newt opened his mouth to reply and Hermione knew whatever he was about to say would be a lie. She thought fast.

"He's working with me, Minister." All eyes snapped in her direction. "I needed a consultant."

Newt's eyes snapped to her in surprise. His brow furrowed in unanswered question. She avoided his gaze.

"Yes, and who are you?" The man from earlier spoke, his tone dripping with condescension.

"Auror Hermione Lawson of the British International Investigation Team." Hermione said in a strong voice and held up her badge.

Whispers broke out around the room. Hermione didn't let it bother her.

"Goldstein." Madame Picquery began. "Who is this?" She gestured to Jacob.

Hermione knew that the revelation that Jacob was a muggle would spark unrest throughout the chamber. They were already in a meeting about the threat to the International Statute of Secrecy. She had to think fast so Jacob could leave with his memories intact.

She began looking around the room trying to find anyone with the potential to be sympathetic to the cause. But it's not likely in this time period. She looked up in frustration and her breath caught.

"This is Jacob Kowalski, Madame President. He's a No-Maj who was bitten by one of Mr. Scamander's creatures."

Furious murmurings filled the chamber once more. Questions of "obliviation" and "Statute" rang through. Had Hermione been paying attention, she would have defended Jacob and torn down every leg Tina had to stand on. But Hermione was too focused on the hologram above them and the guilt she felt for not preventing it. For the first time since she left the case, she let her shoulders slump.

Newt looked up at what she was staring at. "Merlin's beard." He whispered from beside her.

"You know which of your creatures was responsible, Mr. Scamander?" A woman asked.

Hermione felt the indignation rise up in her. The utter _incompetence_ of wizards. Her need to correct the misinformed witch rose up in her and she burned with it.

"What could they possibly be teaching in schools these days?" She began, scathingly. "You all sit here debating the protection of the Statute of Secrecy but forget why it had to be implemented in the first place."

"We remember just fine." A man cut her off. Hermione clenched her jaw. "No-Majs hunting us for performing magic, causing us to suppress what we're born with-"

"Yes. And what happens when young witches and wizards suppress their magic?" Hermione asked as if talking to a class of children.

She caught Tina looking at her aghast at the way she spoke to such powerful figures. Jacob was looking around confused and worried. Newt's eyes never left the hologram.

"A No-Maj has been killed by a beast and we're sitting here receiving a history lesson from some witch?" A delegate behind Hermione sneered.

Hermione placed a hand on her hip and pinched the bridge of her nose with the other. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly trying to calm herself before she drew her wand on this delegation of _idiots_.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her head to see Newt who was still looking at the body above them. She knew he knew what had done this and she felt a little better knowing someone at least knew.

"No creature did this." Newt began, quieting the chamber. "Don't pretend. You must know what that was, look at the marks…" He trailed off, eyes pinched in sadness.

"This was an obscurus."

The chamber was alive again with furious mutterings. Hermione saw Graves look up, alert.

"This is what you needed a consultant for, Miss Lawson?" Minister Fawley sneered at her.

Hermione wasn't surprised in the least. Fawley was fickle at the best of times, it was no wonder he caved to the opinions around him rather than trusting the _time traveler_ he brought here.

"You go too far, Mr. Scamander, Miss Lawson. There is no obscurial in America. Impound that case, Graves."

Hermione watched in horror as the case was summoned across the room.

She wasn't surprised when she saw Newt draw his wand. He protested and it made Hermione's heart hurt in her chest. Her own wand was in her hand and she burned from how angry she was.

She held up her wand to summon the case back, but suddenly it was ripped away from her and flying into Graves's hand along with Newt's. Without warning, a volley of spells hit them forcing all of them to their knees restraining their hands behind their back. Hermione held her head up high, not letting fear show on her face.

She had a brief thought of another time where she was restrained and wandless where she couldn't contain her fear. The eight letter scar on her arm burned at the memory.

Newt frantically tried to explain that none of the creatures were dangerous. He begged them not to hurt them.

"We'll be the judges of that." Madame Picquery said. "Take them to the cells."

She went to turn away, but Hermione's voice stopped her.

"So even when faced with clear evidence to the contrary, you'll still condemn innocents? Creatures and wizards alike?" Her voice was steady, despite being dragged against her will. "Careful. You might not get a reelection." Hermione's eyes flickered to Ministery Fawley's. Her message was clear. She knew something they didn't.

Even if it was half of a lie. But she had to try something.

The door shut after them and she finally let her mask fall. A dead man. Newt's cries. Jacob's confusion. Even Tina's horrified expression.

Hermione had failed.

* * *

The cell was silent.

Not that Hermione expected any different. She paced from one end of the cell to the other with quick strides. Five steps one way, six from the other.

They'd taken Newt's case. All those innocent creatures. They could be executed. Or worse. She didn't want to think about it. And her leather bag. It was in Newt's case sitting on one of the tables in the shack. If the wrong people went through that bag, it would only take on look at the book she kept for them to know.

Newt had his head in his hands and it made her chest ache. Hermione tried not to look at him too long otherwise she would succumb to her own despair at his loss. Jacob was still confused and afraid. Hermione couldn't fault him. He was likely to be obliviated soon. Tina was almost in tears. Hermione couldn't tell if she was remorseful for what she did or regretting getting put in the cell with them. Hermione avoided looking at her as well. Too angry to deal with her.

Unfortunately, Tina felt the need to break the silence.

"I am so sorry about your creatures, Mr. Scamander. I truly am."

Newt doesn't respond.

Hermione lets a bitter laugh ring through the air drawing everyone's attention. A false smile settles on her face as she stops pacing and spins to face Tina.

"What did you think was going to happen?" She shakes her head slowly. "You brought a case full of creatures in front of a panicking government in the middle of a crisis. Did you think they were just going to let them go?"

Tina let a few tears fall. She kept opening and closing her mouth trying to find an answer.

"Please tell me," Hermione begged. "What was going through your mind when you were using us to get your job back."

Tina looked down and wiped her eyes.

"Didn't quite work out, did it?" Hermione gave her a flat look, cocking her head to the side.

Hermione turned and went to go sit beside Newt. After a moment's hesitation, she placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn't react.

"Can someone please tell me what this obscurial, obscurius thing is?" Jacob asked, breaking some of the lingering tension.

"There hasn't been one for centuries-"

"I met one in Sudan three months ago." Newt interrupted Tina. "There used to be more of them, but they still exist." He fiddled with his hands. "Hermione mentioned this earlier but before wizards went underground, when we were still being hunted by muggles, young witches and wizards sometimes tried to suppress their magic to avoid persecution. Instead of learning to harness or control their powers, they developed what was called and obscurus."

Newt looked pained. Hermione wondered about what happened to the girl from Sudan, if the obscurus in his case was from the girl. She didn't think she wanted to know. She let out a breath thinking about her first and only experience with an obscurus. She rubbed her thumb back and forth over Newt's coat.

Jacob's brow was furrowed as he tried to process what Newt told them.

"It's an unstable, uncontrollable, dark force that busts out and attacks… and then vanishes." Tina explained, her brows furrowed in thought. She turned to Newt. "Obscurials can't survive long can they?"

"There's no documented case of any obscurial surviving past the age of ten. The one I met in Sudan was eight when she- she was eight when she died." He answered. Hermione's hand gripped his shoulder tighter and continued to rub her thumb back and forth over his coat.

She thought for a moment. Dumbledore's sister was an obscurial. Her brows furrowed and her thumb stopped moving causing Newt to look at her. Ariana was never reported. Hermione wondered how many others have gone unreported. Accidents written off in the muggle world. Old families that didn't want to ruin their reputation.

She felt a finger tap her hand and noticed Newt looking at her, head cocked to the side in question.

"What are you telling me here? That Senator Shaw was killed by a- by a kid?" Jacob drew their attention.

No one said anything, but the look Newt gave him said enough.

* * *

Black walled room, windowless, door behind them. Tina was standing, Hermione and Newt were sitting bound with hands behind their backs. None of them had their wands. Three execution wizards behind them and one head auror across from them.

Hermione realized there was no way out.

She now regrets not putting up more of a fight earlier. She was under the impression that less resistance could get them a lesser punishment. One look at the execution wizards changed that.

Hermione wondered how they would get out of this. All of her logic on time travel points to the fact that Newt Scamander is still alive in her time. Not executed in 1926. For a brief moment she panicked thinking her presence actually did change something. It would be her fault they were going to die.

She figured, at the very least, Jacob would be alright. He would just be missing some memories rather than dead.

"You're an interesting man, Mr. Scamander." Graves said looking down at the files before him. "And you, Miss Lawson…" He trailed off.

"Mr. Graves-" Tina started

Graves just held a finger to his lips, patronizing her. She stepped back, obeying. Hermione's lip curled.

"Miss Lawson," Graves began, flipping through her file. "Recent transfer to the auror program with no prior experience and given international jurisdiction. Born in 1901 making you twenty-five years old. Born to Edwin and Margaret Lawson twenty-five and twenty-four respectfully. Highest NEWT and OWL scores since Albus Dumbledore himself."

He looked up then.

"And all of this filed two days ago. But," His eyebrows rose and he looked down flipping the file closed. "We'll come back to you."

Hermione sat with her back straight and chin held high. She could feel Tina and Newt looking at her with suspicion. She tried not to let it bother her. She knew there were holes in her paperwork, she just didn't think it would come up before she could get it fixed.

"Newt Scamander, you were thrown out of Hogwarts for endangering human life-"

"That was an accident!" Newt protested, eyes cutting to Hermione. Hermione knew this already, it was common knowledge in her time. Any book that mentioned the magizoologist also mentioned the incident.

"-with a beast. Yet one of your teachers argued strongly against your expulsion. Now, what makes Albus Dumbledore so fond of you?" He looked up, brows furrowed.

Hermione noted that this was the second time the American head auror mentioned the British wizard. Dumbledore was a great wizard, and everyone knew his scores were high but not many knew them well enough to draw comparisons.

"I really couldn't say." Newt said.

"So setting a pack of dangerous creatures loose here was just another accident, is that right?"

"Why would I do it deliberately?"

"To expose wizardkind. To provoke war between the magical and non-magical worlds."

Hermione could see it clear as day. They were going to use Newt as a scapegoat to appease the public. Calm down the suspicions of Grindelwald and provide an answer to the threat of the Statute.

"Mass slaughter for the greater good, you mean?"

Hermione stiffened. _Greater good._ Newt and Graves looked at her for a moment.

"Yes, Quite." Graves said, still looking at Hermione. "And Miss Lawson is your accomplice. Infiltrating two separate ministries with false paperwork, aiding your crimes."

"I'm not one of Grindelwald's fanatics, Mr. Graves." Newt protested lowly.

"And I'm not one of his spies." Hermione declared.

Hermione noticed his expression change. At the mention of Grindelwald, ever so slightly, he looked more menacing than he did a moment ago.

"I wonder what you can tell me about this, Mr. Scamander?"

With a display of wandless magic, Graves brought the obscurus from Newt's case into view. The swirling mass of dark matter continued to pulse and thrash within the bubble. Hermione noticed it shrink back from Graves trying to stay away. Tina gasped.

"It's an obscurus-" Newt turned to Hermione trying to convince her, forgetting that she'd already seen it in his case. "But it's not what you think. I managed to separate it from the Sudanese girl as I tried to save her." He looked anguished and frantic.

"Newt." She whispered.

"I wanted to take it home, to study it."

"Newt." She spoke a little louder.

"But it cannot survive outside that box, it could not hurt anyone-"

"Newt!"

He stopped, eyes flickering from meeting her eyes and looking down.

"I know." She told him. His shoulders seemed to slump in relief.

"So it's useless without the host?" Graves brought their attention back to him.

Newt turned to him, frowning. "'Useless?' 'Useless?' That is a parasitical magical force that killed a child. What on earth would you use it for?"

Hermione's brows pinched together. She wondered why Graves was so interested in obscurials.

The answer slammed into her. She knew Gellert Grindelwald was in New York at this time. She knew Newt had to be near him at some point in order to capture him. Percival Graves should not be interested about Albus Dumbledore. Percival Graves should not inquire about obscurials. Grindelwald had history with Dumbledore and an obscurus was killed in their fight.

It was that revelation that sent her next thought tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"Ariana." She whispered, looking for a reaction on Grave's face.

She wasn't disappointed. He looked at her with fire in his eyes before his mask slid back into place. After that she carefully avoided eye contact in case he had an affinity for mind reading. The corner of her mouth ticked up. She knew exactly who was sitting across from her. The thought sent a chill down her spine, but the pride she felt at figuring out his deception overshadowed it for the moment.

"You fool nobody, Mr. Scamander." Graves said looking away from her finally. "You brought this Obscurus into the city of New York in the hope of causing mass disruption, breaking the Statute of Secrecy and revealing the magical world-"

"You know that can't hurt anyone, you know that!" Newt exclaimed.

"You are therefore guilty of a treasonous betrayal of your fellow wizards and are sentenced to death. Miss Lawson and Miss Goldstein, who have aided and abetted you..."

"No, they've done nothing of the kind!" Newt was frantic. Hermione kept smirking. Tina was too shocked to do anything.

"They receive the same sentence."

The executioners stepped forward pressing their wands into their necks.

"Just do it immediately. I will inform President Picquery myself."

"Hermione-" Newt pleaded.

Graves brought his finger to his mouth again shushing him. For a moment, he flicked his eyes to Hermione.

"Well met." She whispered.

Graves's eyes flashed before he turned away.

They were pulled from the room, door swinging shut with a loud click. Newt pulled against his executioner making the wand dig further into his neck. Tina was too shocked to do anything other than follow along. Hermione walked calmly with her head held high. It wouldn't be the first time she's escaped imminent death. She just needed to think a moment.

* * *

Hermione had to wonder how humane this form of execution was.

She watched the executioner, Bernadette, pull memories from Tina and throw them into the pool of bubbling potion before them. She scowled in disgust at the vacant calm that immediately overtook Tina's features. Hermione might not particularly like the witch at the moment, but she didn't deserve this.

They helped Tina into the chair and Hermione frantically thought for a way out. The cuffs they were wearing were barely magical. Enchanted just enough to resist unlocking charms but weak enough to not be able to take on much more. There's a distinct reason handcuffs went out of style for detaining wizards and Hermione was about to exploit that.

It felt intrusive to watch Tina's happiest memories, especially knowing what was going to happen if she didn't get them out of this. She started feeding her magic into the cuffs attempting to overload them.

Curiously, she watched a memory of an older woman holding a belt and standing over a teenage boy. She watched Tina send a spell at the woman and then comfort the boy. Hermione's brow furrowed.

Movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention, and she looked to find Newt looking down at his arm. Her eyes follow his gaze and she has to hold back a smile. Bowtruckles pick locks. Her eyes met Newts, amusement sparkling despite the situation. Newt turned away and Hermione frowned. She kept feeding magic into the handcuffs. They were getting warm.

Another executioner turned to Newt, raising her wand. "Okay, let's get the good stuff out of you-"

Newt jumped out of the way, careful not to run into Hermione, and threw the Swooping Evil toward the pool. He punch the executioner. Hermione sent a burst of magic into the cuffs and pulled her wrists apart in the same move. The cuffs disintegrated in a small burst of heat burning Hermione's wrists.

Newt grabbed his executioner's arms using their wand to send a stuptify toward Bernadette. Hermione turned and was about to kick her own executioner when the swooping evil flew over and knocked them to the ground. Behind her, Tina was getting more and more terrified. Hermione picked up the executioner's wand and sent a stunner toward Newt's ensuring they were incapacitated.

"Mr. Scamander!" Tina screamed.

She was now standing, desperately trying to keep her balance on the chair as the death potion surrounded her. Hermione couldn't do anything. Any kind of magic she might use to help Tina would agitate the potion.

"Don't panic!" Newt told her.

"What do you suggest I do instead?" She panicked.

Newt made a clicking noise and the swooping evil started to circle the pool around Tina.

"Jump."

"Are you crazy?"

"Jump on him."

Hermione turned around seeing that Newt had this handled. She quickly walked over to the door placing her ear against it to see if she could hear anything that might have alerted MACUSA to their escape.

"Tina, listen to me. I'll catch you."

Hermione looked over her shoulder watching with curiosity. The potion had now reached Tina's full height. Hermione's hand hovered over the door handle, unwilling to leave without the two of them.

"I'll catch you. I've got you, Tina."

There was no more time for convincing, the potion was getting too high, curling over the top of her.

"Go!"

Tina jumped across and landed safely in Newt's arms. Hermione let out a breath of relief. Newt called the swooping evil back to him. Hermione opened the door.

"Come on!" She called to them.

The alarms rang through the building as the three of them raced through the basement. Hermione's lungs burned and her skin felt hot under her overcoat. Her wrists stung from the burns from earlier.

A group of aurors turned the corner in front of them and let out a multitude of spells. Tina and Newt quickly dodged and hid behind pillars while Hermione used her stolen wand to instinctively throw up a shield. Newt sent out his creature while Hermione sent out a string of spells of her own incapacitating as many as she could. One of their spells caught her arm by surprise making her let go of her wand.

The swooping evil with its skeletal, butterfly-like wings quickly took care of the remaining aurors and shielded Hermione from any more attacks. It was hovering over one of the downed aurors probing the man's ear.

"Thank you, darling, but I really don't think now is the time for brains." Hermione told it.

Newt caught up and made a clicking noise directing the swooping evil to fly with them. They began running again.

"What is that thing?" Tina asked.

"Swooping Evil."

"Well, I love it!"

They rounded a corner and almost collided with Jacob and Queenie. They all stared at one another, panic on their faces despite the relief of being together.

"Get in!" Queenie gestured to the case.

* * *

A/N: So there it is. I'm thinking some Newt POV next time would be pretty good.

Let me know your thoughts! I love hearing from you!


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Another update within the week? When I should be working? Par for the course at this point._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Newt was the last one into the case.

New York was turning out to be considerably more exciting than any other place he's been to in the past year. And all he wanted right then was a nap. It seemed like ever since he stepped foot on American soil it was just one thing after another. Everything was piling on top and for a moment he wondered if anyone had ever asked Atlas if he was okay.

He broke his composure for a moment there, his brain reminded him. His cheeks flamed and he looked toward his feet. Perhaps yelling desperately for his creatures wasn't the most appropriate reaction. But they were _taken away_.

Newt avoided the three visitors in his small shack as he pushed open the door out to the rest of his case. He hoped they didn't follow. The two women seemed as if they're alpha personalities were about to get the better of them and Newt wanted no part of it. Jacob, it seemed, was just as uncomfortable. Newt did feel a little guilty leaving them for him to deal with. But only a little.

One of the women had delivered them as criminals and nearly gotten all of the creatures in his care killed or worse.

The other was a mess of contradictions and had been lying to all of them.

Creatures were simpler.

Newt walked around the case making sure all of the creatures were accounted for. The thought that Graves had been in there, had taken the obscurus… Newt wanted to make sure no one else was hurt or missing.

The jingling of coins drew his attention and he walked over to the little golden den. The niffler perked up at his presence and Newt smiled. He reached out a hand and scratched under their chin.

"Let's not cause any more trouble, yes?" Newt murmured. "Mum's still very disappointed with your behavior today."

The niffler gave a contented snuffle and turned back to its pile of galleons.

Newt took it as an agreement and left it at that.

He looked out at the expanse of his case and wondered if he could fit another enclosure in there somewhere. Once Frank was released, that space would be vacant. Newt had heard of rumors of a band of sailors in the Gulf of Mexico that were able to stop merchant ships in the water and raid them like pirates would. If the rumors were to be believed, then those sailors were likely using and abusing at least one or two ramoras. That would involve a very intricate pattern of expansion, stabilizing and water charms to be able to accommodate them if that were the case.

Thunder rumbled and Newt made his way over to the thunderbird. Rain pitter pattered around him, but he paid no mind and held up his umbrella charm. Frank flapped his wings once more before landing in front of him.

"You'll be out of here soon, I promise. Dougal's missing still, and we can't just leave him." Newt told the creature.

Raised voices sounded from the shack and the thunderbird flapped his wings agitated.

"I know, I'm not a fan of loud voices much myself."

Thunder rumbled in response.

"You're right, you're right." Newt sighed. "I'll go see what I can do."

Newt turned around and started walking back to the shack and if he drug his feet a little then no one was around to call him on it. He doubted his creatures would betray him so. He tapped his wand on his leg and sighed.

He paused in front of the wooden door and listened.

"-and this is coming from someone with false records!"

"All I'm saying is that at least I know when to question authority. Do you even know who Graves is?"

"He's my boss!"

"Is he? I thought you were fired?"

Newt heaved another sigh and pushed the door open. All three pairs of eyes snapped to him.

Jacob looked so relieved, Newt almost laughed. Tina was breathing heavy and kept shooting glares at Hermione. Hermione's hair had puffed out like a nundu's neck.

He needed to separate the two and let them calm down.

"Jacob," He called. "Perhaps Tina would like a tour of the case?"

Newt had seen the awed and happy expressions on Jacob and Hermione's faces when he led them through the case the first time. He hoped that Tina might see the same as they saw. Something wonderful and worth protecting.

"It's your case, are you sure you wouldn't…?" Jacob trailed off.

Newt smiled at him and looked away. "I'm sure you'll do just fine, Jacob."

The two of them walked past him.

"Maybe you can get answers out of her." Tina muttered to him.

He heard Hermione scoff, clearly having heard the other woman.

He heard the door open and close leaving them alone in the shack.

Hermione had her back to him. She'd taken off her coat and was stuffing it into her bag with more force than necessary. The bag, Newt noted, had an undetectable extension charm on it.

He leaned against the work table next to him with his arms crossed attempting to appear calmer than he felt. Despite her blatant untruths and obvious contradictions, Newt did not feel as though she was a threat to them or his creatures. Her actions were so genuine and kind that he almost felt cheated that everything else was a lie. Which was preposterous in his mind. How could he feel so betrayed if he'd only known her for a day?

He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it more than it already was. He was so confused.

She rolled up the sleeves of her black blouse and accioed a bottle of dittany out of her bag. Newt raised his eyebrows at how prepared she was. Just another thing added to the mystery. She applied the potion to her wrists and only then did Newt remember the brilliant way she broke the handcuffs. She healed her wrists and the cut from when she dueled the aurors. Then, she conjured a mirror and pushed aside her blouse and applied the potion to a collection of fresh scars that looked like-

"A chimera bite." Newt muttered aloud.

Hermione whirled around. She closed the dittany and vanished the mirror with jerky motions. Her hair was still puffed out and Newt guessed that she still felt defensive and cornered.

"I did mention I used to work with beasts."

"Nasty business." He hedged.

"It was worth it." She looked away, sad and almost wistful.

Newt couldn't disagree. "So, why did you 'join the aurors?'"

She looked back at him with fire in her eyes and Newt looked down. He watched her fingers dance in her agitation.

"I didn't have a choice."

"So that part is true at least."

Newt watched as her fingers began gripping and ungripping. Hand balling into a fist and releasing. She seemed to have an internal war with herself. To tell him or not to tell him. She bit her lip, skin pulling between her teeth before she'd soothe it with her tongue.

She opened her mouth and Newt braced himself for a lie.

"All of it is true."

Newt let her words wash over him. Despite preparing for it, it hurt all the same.

"I asked you before not to lie to me." He said quietly. He let his arms drop and he stood to leave.

All of the fight seemed to have gone out of her. Her hair had fallen flat and she seemed like a limp crup with its neck in the jaws of something greater, just waiting for it to either release or bite down harder.

"I haven't" She whispered.

He looked at her then and forced himself to hold eye contact. He leaned against the table once more.

"Impossible."

"Not for me."

"How could it all be true? Everything about you is a contradiction. I-" He cut himself off, unsure of where to even begin.

There was no way everything was true. Her father was the same age and her own _mother_ was a year younger than her. Paperwork that had been filed not but a few days ago. No prior experience anywhere despite claiming to work for the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And even if the Lawsons weren't a light family, no one in these times with Grindelwald stirring trouble would attack in such a way and leave _that word_ as a scar.

"I- I was-" She cut herself off and looked away a bitter grin on her face. A tear ran down one cheek and she hastily swatted it away. "I was an experiment with the Department of Mysteries. An act of desperation. The key to winning a war."

"Wait, no, no. I don't underst-"

"Time travel." She looked at him. And Newt could see it written on her face that this was no lie.

Newt's eyebrows pulled together. He opened and closed his mouth as if to say something but the words weren't there.

"I was born a few weeks ago. The minister and a few unspeakables decided that the best way to deal with the upcoming conflict with Gindelwald was to send a baby to the future to live and to gather information and then bring them back."

"A-and that baby was you? They sent a child to the future?" Newt ran his hand through his hair. "What did the Lawsons have to say about this? Edwin and Margaret, their baby…" He trailed off.

He gave a sharp laugh and Newt looked up at her. Her expression was not kind or soft in the way he'd come to admire. It was hard like glass and could break just as easy.

"They volunteered." She whispered.

Newt couldn't fathom the concept. He understands that when he releases his creatures back where they belong that it's because it's better for them. Always because it's better for them. To use your child in such a way… This couldn't have been better.

"The unspeakables gave me enhancement potions to increase my intelligence and capacity for learning and sent me away. I came back on my twenty-fifth birthday." She wiped a few more tears away and Newt had the strangest urge to comfort her.

"Highest academic scores since Albus Dumbledore?" He asked attempting to lighten her mood while also finding out more about her.

"Seems like a lie now, to me at least. What with the potions they gave me." She gave a watery laugh.

"And you worked with creatures?"

"Youngest Head of the Department." She smiled proudly. His eyebrows shot up.

"And the scar?" He tried to sound casual, but he'd never been good at such things.

Her smile fell and she rubbed her hand across the word on her arm.

"I was Hermione Granger." She whispered. "Muggleborn friend of the 'Chosen One'. There was a war when I was a teenager. We were captured," She looked down and traced the letters with her finger. "And I was taken for questioning."

Newt didn't know how far into the future she was from. He didn't know when that war would take place. But now that it had been mentioned he could see it. Newt had been lucky, he worked on the Eastern Front with dragons. He didn't truly see much of the actual war itself. Theseus, however, was a war hero. Newt never thought Theseus came back from the war alright. It took a long time for Theseus to heal and Newt was sure he was the only one that saw it. And he can see it in Hermione. She hadn't fully healed yet.

And now they'd pulled her back to fight again. Just like Theseus will have to fight as well.

Newt still wanted no part in the fight with Grindelwald, but perhaps he could help her. He was good with that sort of thing. With creatures at least.

"You're still Hermione Granger." He said quietly. "Even if you're also Hermione Lawson. They don't have to be so different."

Hermione's eyes jumped to his and he fought to keep eye contact. He tried to convey his certainty but he didn't think it came across well because she looked away and wiped her eyes again. She seemed to debate with herself for a moment and Newt was about to take back everything he said. But then she flew across the room and wrapped her arms around him.

He didn't quite know what to do. It was customary to wrap your own arms around them in return, but Newt didn't want to. Theseus was a hugger. Theseus hugged him all the time. Theseus never seemed to mind when he didn't wrap his arms around him in return. Should he? Surely she felt how stiff he was. Maybe it would deter her from hugging him again. It never worked with Theseus though.

She released him and he was strangely disappointed. He tried not to let his breath of relief be too audible. He didn't look at her much, but he caught her wiping her eyes again with a smile on her face.

A knock sounded through the case, a noise that was becoming familiar at this point.

The door to the shack opened just as Hermione was hastily climbing the steps to exit the case. Newt hadn't moved.

Jacob looked at him with a frowning expression that was questioning at the same time as accusing. Newt trusted Jacob with matters such as this so he decided to ask him about it later.

Jacob went up the steps and Tina followed. Newt looked around for a minute then followed the rest up as well.

* * *

Hermione stepped up on the ledge of the roof and tried not to look down.

The city before them was beautiful in the dying light of the sunset. The sound of pigeons chirping and preening came from the coop behind her along with Queenie and Jacob speaking softly to one another.

Newt stood beside her, backlit with a golden glow that set his auburn hair on fire. She thought him a very handsome man, but it didn't do to dwell on such things. They still needed to find the last of Newt's creatures and the obscurus. The wind blew and Hermione shivered. She cursed herself for leaving her coat in her bag in Newt's case.

"When I was on the investigation team, Graves" It amused her using the name of the man Grindelwald was impersonating. "kept insisting that the disturbances were a beast. He would even back up my own claims of it being a beast- even though I knew better." Newt nodded along. "Of course now he would most likely try to use your beasts as a scapegoat, so we need to find them before that can happen."

"There's only one still missing. Dougal, he's my demiguise."

"Ah, no trouble at all then." Sarcasm laced Hermione's tone. Newt smiled, and his eyes crinkled with the motion.

"Dougal?" Tina asked stepping closer to them.

Hermione recalled their argument earlier and cringed. It got out of hand fast. But Tina wouldn't stop pushing and Hermione could admit that she only stoked the fire so to speak. She hoped they were alright now. She has no doubt that Tina would never trust her despite any assurance Newt could say to her.

"He's invisible." Newt explained as he turned around and stepped down.

Hermione followed at a slower pace, overly careful so she doesn't fall back. Jacob and Queenie joined them.

"Invisible?" Tina asked smiling.

"Yes, most of the time… he does… um..." Newt looked away from their group and out toward the city again.

"So, basically, it will be immensely difficult to catch him." Hermione tells the rest of the group.

Newt looked over at her and smiled. She couldn't help but return it. She felt better now that she'd told Newt about what had brought her here to this time. It felt good to tell someone herself and not have someone just know what had happened. It felt good to trust someone. She hoped she could count this awkward man as one of her friends. She felt a pang thinking of Harry and Ron.

She saw Queenie's expression turn sad, but Hermione didn't say anything. Queenie did give her a reassuring smile. Hermione smiled back. Maybe she'll have another friend in Queenie. Hermione laughed as Queenie nodded her head. The rest of the group looked puzzled at the silent conversation taking place. The wind blew and Hermione reached her hand up to run through her mass of curls.

"Mudblood?" Tina whispered.

Hermione's smile fell. She was definitely regretting not putting her coat on. Or at least rolling down her sleeves. What was is about people thinking they could ask about that particular scar? Bellatrix's cackles filled her mind.

She cleared her throat. "It's a derogatory term for witches and wizards born to parents with no magic."

_I'm going to have a little chat with this one! Girl to girl!_

"Lestrange." Queenie said quietly, horrified by the memory.

"That's not a train of thought you want to go down, Queenie." Hermione warned.

Newt looked like someone had punched him in the stomach. Hermione frowned wondering what that was about.

"People are easiest to read when they're hurting." Queenie said with a sad smile.

"Yes, well." Hermione cleared her throat and avoided looking at anyone. "How can we find an invisible creature in New York?"

* * *

They walked down a back alley filled with bins and trash and other discarded things. Hermione didn't know why she was surprised. They were fugitives now and this Gnarlak was also a criminal. It made sense that they'd have to meet in the underbelly of wizarding New York. It reminded Hermione of the various times she had to visit Knockturn Alley. But that was usually under an invisibility cloak with Harry and Ron at her side.

Tina led them down a small set of stairs that seemed to dead end at a brick wall. A poster of a beautiful woman in an evening gown gazing at herself in the mirror hung on the bricks.

Tina and Queenie stopped in front of the poster and turned to face each other. They raised their wands in unison and transfigured their work clothes into beautiful flapper party dresses. Queenie gave Jacob a teasing look while Tina looked slightly embarrassed.

Hermione raised her own wand and thought of all the 20s style dresses she'd seen and hoped she'd get it right. Her clothes transfigured into a modest gold dress that looked more yellow in the current light. Hermione noticed that most of her scars from the war and her work with creatures were on display. She didn't mind, but she hoped it was socially acceptable in this time. She didn't want any unwanted attention to give them away.

"Hufflepuff." Newt guessed looking at her dress. His voice quiet as he leaned closer to her, his breath disturbing her curls.

Hermione gave a laugh. "Gryffindor." She corrected raising her wand up to conjure him a red bowtie.

Jacob looked a bit put out that he was the only one without magic attire. As Tina knocked and gained them an entrance, Hermione laughed and conjured Jacob a bowtie that matched the color of Queenie's dress.

* * *

Hermione was quite taken by the atmosphere of the seedy bar. The criminals and the wanted posters she could do without, but she loved jazz music. Her dad used to play old jazz records all the time, and sometimes, they'd dance around the kitchen in their socks and annoy her mother. The bar was crowded, and the goblin crooned and conjured smoky imagery to go along with the song she sang. Hermione smiled at it all.

Queenie and Jacob spilt off to the bar to be lookouts. Tina led Hermione and Newt through the crowd looking for the designated meeting place.

"I've arrested half of the people in here." Tina said once they found the table.

Looking around at the people, Hermione could believe it.

"You can tell me to mind my own business, but I saw something in that death potion back there. I saw you hugging that Second Salem boy." Newt said.

"His names Credence. His mother beats him. She beats all those kids she adopted, but she seems to hate him the most."

Hermione thought about this. A mother who runs an organization called Second Salem, she beats her kids, but she beats one more than the others.

"And she was the No-Maj you attacked?" Newt asked.

"That's how I lost my job. I went for her in front of a meeting of her crazy followers. They all had to be obliviated. It was a big scandal."

Hermione had to respect the reason she lost her job, even if she hadn't been very subtle about it.

"Is it possible that this boy, Credence, has magic?" Hermione asked her.

"You think he might be the obscurus?" Newt asked starting to come to the same conclusions she had.

Tina was about to answer, but she stopped. "It's him."

A smartly-dressed goblin weaved his way through the crowd and sat down in the only other empty chair at the table. He reclined back perfectly at ease, confidence and power in every motion. A house elf scrambled to bring him a drink.

"So... You're the guy with the case full of monsters, huh?" He said biting his cigar.

"News travels fast." Newt said, lowly. "I was hoping you'd be able to tell me if there have been any sightings. Tracks. That sort of thing."

Gnarlak finished his drink and another house elf brought him a document to sign. He pinned his signature after barely looking at it.

"You've got a big price on your head, Mr. Scamander. Why should I help you instead of turnin' you in?"

"I take it I'll have to make it worth your while?"

The house elf scurried away.

"Let's consider it a cover charge."

Newt reached into his pocket and pulled out a small stack of gold. He placed it on the table and slid it across. If the situation wasn't so serious, Hermione would have laughed at the dramatics. Gnarlak didn't even look at it.

"MACUSA's offerin' more'n that."

Newt pulled out a beautiful instrument and placed it on the table. It reminded Hermione of a sneakascope.

"Lunascope? I got five." He bit his cigar and Hermione tried not to cringe.

Once more, Newt reached into his pocket and pulled out another item of interest. A glowing, frozen, ruby egg.

"Frozen Ashwinder egg!" Gnarlak was _finally_ interested. "You see, now were... Wait a minute." He paused looking at Newt. "That's Bow... That's a Bowtruckle, right?"

Hermione's eyes widened.

"No." Newt placed a hand over his pocket.

"Come on. They pick locks, am I right?"

"You're not having him."

"Well, good luck getting' back alive, Mr. Scamander, what with the whole of MACUSA on your back." Gnarlak got up ready to leave.

Newt seemed to debate with himself. And Hermione couldn't believe it, he was actually considering it.

"All right." Newt said, pained.

"Newt, no! You can't!" Hermione told him, completely ignoring Gnarlak.

Her brows pulled together in worry. She watched him pull the poor creature out of his pocket and hand him over.

"Pickett..."

The bowtruckle reached back, clicking and begging Newt. Hermione couldn't believe it. She couldn't look at Newt.

"Somethin' invisible's been wreakin' havoc around Fifth Avenue. You may wanna check out Macy's department store. Might help with what you're looking for." Gnarlak said, satisfied with Pickett in his grasp.

"Dougal..."Newt murmured. "One last thing. There's a Mr. Graves who works at MACUSA- I was wondering what you knew of his background." Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Newt glance at her. Perhaps he picked up more than she thought in their interrogation.

Gnarlak looked at them a moment and Hermione got the feeling he knew a lot more than he was willing to say.

"You ask too many questions, Mr. Scamander. That can get you killed." He stood.

"So, you know who Mr. Graves is then?" Hermione asked.

Gnarlak paused and looked at her for a moment. "Yeah, 'nd so do you. I'd watch your back, girly, or you're already dead."

"MACUSA are coming!" A house elf shouted.

The three of them stood up. Jacob and Queenie tried to make their way over to them.

"You tipped them off!" Tina accused.

Aurors started apperating in. Gnarlak stood there laughing. Hermione sent a stinging hex at his hand making Pickett fall out of his grasp. Newt scrambled to the floor trying to find him.

Jacob walked over to the goblin. "Sorry, Mr. Gnarlak-" He punched him.

Queenie looked delighted. Hermione laughed trying to find Newt. Criminals all around them were being apprehended. Others were apperating away.

"Reminded me of my foreman." Jacob said. He reached for another shot of gigglewater.

Newt ran over to them, Pickett in hand. They grasped everyone's shoulders. Jacob laughed and they spun away.

* * *

_A/N: What'd you guys think? You think I did Newt alright?_

_We're like a long way through the first movie, that's crazy. And then we've got an interlude and then the second movie. And I heard filming for the third is set to keep filming on schedule despite Coronavirus social distancing._


End file.
